Revelations
by Genius GirlX
Summary: Chapter 8 uploaded. Dark angst fic. Shocking secrets are about to be revealed. Please R/R! Thanks! :-)
1. The Beginning is the End is the Beginnin...

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Mutant X, but that would be so cool if I did!  
  
Rating: PG-13 for future chapters  
  
Author's Note: This is my second Mutant X fanfiction, and I hope that you really like it. Later chapters may contain some new concepts which no one has touched on yet, so please review and give your comment (no flames though, please). Many concepts were created as I put "pieces of evidence" together that I found throughout the episodes. Also, this story is a sequel to A Breed Apart (the season finale).  
  
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW : - )  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Revelations  
  
Chapter 1: The Beginning is the End is the Beginning  
  
XXXXXXXXXXX The Strand's Place XXXXXXXXXX  
  
The celebration feast had lasted for the last several hours within the torch-lite, gothic residence of the Strand. The members, joined around a large, circular table, passed food and delights around, trying very hard to relax and enjoy themselves. Many of them were confused about their clebration, for just last week, they had lost their first battle against Mutant X- or so they thought. Their leader, Gabriel Ashlocke, sat aside from the main group in a kingly chair, and was surrounded by several nymphs (*1), who were adorning and fanning, kissing and feeding him. At last, Gabriel rose and spoke to all.  
  
"My friends of the new mutant brotherhood, we have all been united by one cause- our genetic calling. Since the privacy of our own bodies has been invaded, not only by Genomex, but by Mutant X as well, we must join together to destroy our tormentors with just pay. You may wonder why we are celebrating tonight, for there is good reason. Although many of you have thought or believed that we have lost to the group called Mutant X, we are closer than ever to winning the war. Our takeover of Genomex was successful - appreciation goes out to all of you, for without your assistance, this feat could not have been done.  
  
Finally, the sadistic foe of both the Strand and Mutant X has been caught and imprisoned by his own tool of torture known as a stasis pod. His unsensitive and immoral allies have been terminated, unless their worth is far greater than ther being, or their narrow-minded views have been awakened by our presence.  
  
But now is the time, not to weep over our losses, but to gather and treasure our gains. Our enemies will be anihilated, and their views removed from the face of the earth. New mutants everywhere will join together to rule over the less evolved, and thus lowly, humanoids, during the mutant regime. Therefore, tonight, we are celebrating our first major battle, but tommorow, with all of this behind us, we begin to prepare and put on our armor for an even more difficult, more troublesome battle- the battle with Mutant X!" Ashlocke finished his tremendously long and political speech, as the members of the Strand began cheering in unison:  
  
"Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite! Unite!". As Ashlocke sat back down into his chair, Morgan and Kelly walked over to him, still unsure of his plan.  
  
"What exactly are we planning to do? Not everyone is prepared enough to fight them!" Morgan asked nervously.  
  
" Morgan, there is doubt in you. Are you sure that you are capable of doing this?" Ashlocke answered her.  
  
Morgan looked down and thought a moment, before replying, " Why would I doubt the most powerful person in the world?"  
  
" Well, good, everyone is satisfied. Do not worry about the others; my plan does not include them at all- only you, Kelly, and Evan. Yet this is not the place to discuss our plan... right here in the open, so go get Evan, and come up to my balcony," Ashlocke said, in a godly manner.  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXX The Next Day XXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
**Preface: It had been a week and a half since Mutant X's first encounter with Ashlocke and the Strand. Shalimar, who was still shocked by her abduction, had efused to leave Saanctuary, where she was spending most of her time in Stimulation, or moping in the water garden. Today, she had decided to be in the garden, and was presently watching ripples being formed as she bounced pebbles across the water. **  
  
Brennan, who had been saddened by Shalimar's sullen mood all week long, silently walked over to her sitting in the water garden. Shalimar, sensing that someone was apprpoaching, turned to look in his direction, quickly wiping her tears away. Brennan sat down next to her, and honestly asked:  
  
"Shal, are you really going to spend all day mourning in here? I really miss your old, spunky self." Shalimar, as if silently replying, turned and looked at Brennan. The two of them just sat quietly for several minutes, each noticing small things about each other which they had never paid attention to before. Suddenly, Shalimar threw her hands around Brennan, giving hima great big bear hug, while resting her head on his chest. After a couple of seconds, Shalimar lifted her head and grabbed Brennan's hands, a broad smile spreading across her face.  
  
"Oh, all right, sweetie! What do you suggest that we do?" Shalimar said blushing.  
  
"Well... I was thinking of taking you shopping, then to a nice club to have some fun, and then..." Brennan said, both of their eyes twinkling at each other.  
  
"Ssshhh!" Shalimar said, as they were about to kiss.  
  
"Uuummghhh!" a voice coughed in the background. Shalimar and Brennan pulled apart, pretending nothing had happened.  
  
"I see your spirit is back, Shalimar," Adam said calmly, a knowing smile on his face. "Everyone's EDD scans were normal, no more "growth spurts" for awhile, which should give everyone enough time to completely control their new gifts," Adam said, trying to change the subject.  
  
"Great! So Adam, would it be okay if Shal and I go out and have some fun,... take the night off?" Brennan asked, eager to spend time with Shalimar.  
  
"Hmmm. I guess so. But I want you two to be very careful. Contact one of us here immediately if you have any problems," Adam answered in a fatherly tone.  
  
"Thanks, Adam!" Shalimar said, as she and Brennan got up and walked towards their rooms holding hands.   
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
XXXXXXXX One Hour Later XXXXXXXX  
** Preface: Emma, who was very proud about her new-found ability, had spent large amounts of time in Stimulation training since she could now join in the phiysical fighting. She had even fought with Shalimar once - something which she had never done before. Yet, the day after Shalimar came back to Sanctuary, Adam had scolded her for having such a messy room- so guess what she was doing? Cleaning it up.**  
  
Emma quietly cleaned up her room, sorting her clean laundry from her dirty, and straightening up her belongings while listening to some classical music Adam had given her. Yet, her thoughts were not with what she was presently doing. Her mind was submerged in a philosophical world that few others understood. There were so many mysteries about her own life, things which even she had no answers for. She was glad that her "growth spurt" had given her power to finally help her friends when they were all fighting the bad guys. But she still wished that certain questions could be answered, like who were her....  
  
"Emma, Adam wants to meet with us in the lab. Hurry up and come," Jesses said, standing in her open doorway. Emma's philosophical bubble burst from the sound of an outside voice, sadddening her some. Yet, she knew that if Adam called them, it was probably important. She quickly finished what she was putting away, turned off her music, and went to the med lab.  
  
Obviously, Jesse and Adam were already there, waiting for her. Jesse was casually sitting on the chair, but Adam was pacing next to Jesse with his worried look on.  
  
"What's wrong, Adam?" Emma asked sincerely. Adam stopped pacing and looked at both of them and said:  
  
"I'm worried about Shalimar and Brennan. They left about an hour ago with the Audi to have some fun, But I haven't from them since. I have this nagging feeling that something bad has happened to them..."  
  
"Somethiing to do with Ashlocke and his gang?" Jesse asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. But I would feel much better if you two would just go and check on them," Adam replied, suggesting later that they take the Double Helix and find them.  
  
Ten minutes later, after Emma and Jesse had changed into more appropriate clothes, the Double Helix took off and headed towards the city, traveling within it's invisible cloak.   
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Author's Note 2: That's it for chapter 1. How did you like? PLEASE REVIEW and give your comments- I really enjoy hearing from everyone. I know that the title for this chapter is the same as a songs, but I couldn't think of anything else to fit my plot. Thanks for reading. : - ) 


	2. When Your Enemy's Dreams Come True

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Mutant X, although I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, (okay, enough reallys; lol) wish that I did.  
  
Rating: PG-13 for some violence.  
  
Author's Note: Hey, everyone, I'm back. Sorry I didn't update any sooner, but with Fanfiction.net being down so much, and all of the power outages my area has been having lately, I just couldn't find a time sooner. Sorry for the delay. This second chapter is a little bit longer than the first, so I hope that you enjoy reading it. Also, PLEASE REVIEW, I love hearing everyone's feedback and comments. Thanks a bunch to everyone who reviewed the first chapter; your input was great! :-) XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Revelations  
  
Chapter 2 : When Your Enemy's Dreams Come True  
  
XXXXXXXXXXX Shalimar and Brennan in the Audi, driving down a highway XXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
The silver Audi sped down the nearly empty highway on a late Saturday afternoon. Shalimar was in the front passenger seat looking out the open window, her hair blowing in her face, when Brennan, who was driving, suddenly turned to Shalimar.  
  
"Shal, why is it that Adam won't let you drive anything except your motorbike?" Brennan asked curiously. Shalimar turned to face him and paused a moment before answering.  
  
"Well, let's just say that after Adam brought me to Sanctuary, he allowed me start practicing for my driver's license , and... well, my first lesson didn't go to well,... at all," Shalimar said, blushing slightly.  
  
"Why, what happened?"  
  
"Uummm..." Shalimar bit her lip, and then continued speaking, " My feral DNA took over briefly and I ended up chasing a squirrel into a tree,... literally," Shalimar blurted out as quickly as she could.  
  
"Shal! You crashed your, well Adam's car into a tree!" Brennan said with a smirk spreading across his face. Shal, embarassed now by what she had told Brennan, flashed her flourescent green eyes while giving Brennan a shoulder jab, which caused the Audi to swerve slightly.  
  
"Jeeze! I'm just remarking that what you did was funny; no need to beat me over it. Just imagine that poor squirrel being crushed by..." Shalimar glared at Brennan, ready to beat him up for real this time, when Brennan finished his sentence with a different tone of voice.  
  
"I'm sorry, Shalimar, I really am," Brennan said with puppy dog eyes. "So what can I do to make it up to you? Take you to the mall for some new clothes, or out to dinner and a club?" Shalimar softened her facial expressions and grabbed Brennan's hand.  
  
"You always knew how to sweet talk a girl, didn't you?" Shalimar said, scooting closer to Brennan and resting her head on his shoulder. Brennan lifted his arm and put it around her shoulder, as Shalimar took a short cat nap by his side. The Audi slowed as it drove down the exit ramp and for several minutes, Brennan felt like he had it all, especially with Shal beside him. But as he felt so calm and on top of the world, he failed to notice the flashing lights behind him. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
XXXXXXXX Emma and Jesse in the Double Helix, Adam at Sanctuary XXXXXXXX  
  
The Double Helix was quickly closing in on the city, still hidden beneath its' stealth cloak.  
  
"Adam, do you have the tracking signal for the Audi yet?" Jesse asked calmly.  
  
"Yes, I'm sending it to you right now," Adam replied as he walked over to the computer and pressed 'send'.  
  
"So Adam, what do you exactly want us to do? I mean, I don't exactly feel comfortable spying on Brennan and Shalimar. They are our teammates; we should be able to trust them," Emma asked slightly worried, but with a serious tone.  
  
"Don't worry Emma, you're not spying on them. I just want you to locate the Audi and make sure that they are okay. If you still can't find them, use their com-link signals," Adam retorted, annoyed slightly.  
  
"Yeah, Emma. We're just making sure that are friends are fine," Jesse said giving Emma a friendly pat on her shoulder. Emma smiled and finally decided that what they were doing was acceptable. But just to be sure, Emma tried to get a read on Shalimar and Brennan, to make certain that she and Jesse were not butting into their personal affairs. Breaking her trance, she let out a gasp.  
  
"Adam, something's wrong!" Emma exclaimed. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
XXXXXXXX Brennan and Shalimar in the Audi XXXXXXXX  
  
Shalimar had been silently resting beside Brennan for several minutes, when she suddenly opened her eyes, which were glowing orange, and sat up with a gasp.  
  
"Someone's following us!" she said exasperated. Brennan looked into the rear view mirror and finallly noticed the flashing lights.  
  
"Damn it! Its the cops!" Brennan almost yelled, as he slowly pulled the car over to the edge of the road.  
  
"I'll take care of them!" Shalimar said with a feisty tone.  
  
"A little anxious, Shal? Just give 'em a chance to plead their case," Brennan answered with a smirk, as one of the cops got out of the stopped police car and approached the Audi.  
  
"What seems to be the problem, officer?" Brennan asked as the young black police officer stopped next to the open window.  
  
"Your vehicle doesn't appear to have a license plate on it, therefore I need to check and make sure that you're registered. Could I please have your license and registration?" the officer asked gruffly. Meanwhile , a second officer approached slowly without Shalimar or Brennan noticing. Brennan turned to Shalimar with a worried look on his face because neither of them had a valid license or real registration. Shalimar, knowing that her plan had prevailed, gave a small smirk as Brennan mouthed 'You win.'. Brennan knew what to do right away.  
  
Pretending to search for his registration under his seat, he quickly created a ball of electricity and threw it at the police officer with just enough voltage to shock him into a temporary unconscious state. As Brennan attempted to drive off, the Audi suddenly stopped, appearing to hit an invisible wall/  
  
"What the hell!" Brennan said annoyed. As the first police officer recovered from being shocked, the second cop approached the stalled car and spread out her hands, causing flames to encircle the Audi. Shalimar's eyes widened and changed into a glowing orange as her entire body froze.  
  
"It's a trap!" Brennan yelled, trying to floor it, but met no success doing so. "We have to get outta her, Shal! Come on Shal, open your door!" Brennan yelled at her in a worried tone of voice.  
  
"I can't go through that!" Shalimar blurted out, right as the two police officers closed in and were joined by a mysterious figure.  
  
"Yes you can, Shal! Just take my hand; we'll go together." Brennan retorted, giving Shalimar a compassionate glance. Allowing her trust in Brennan to take over, Shalimar grabbed his hand, and the two of them got out of the car together.  
  
"Going somewhere?" the black police officer asked, as the second police officer, who was an almost familiar, blonde-haired lady, stood beside him with a smirk.  
  
"We are! But you're not!" Brennan answered as he threw a bolt of electricity at the two officers. But before being struck, the two vanished, reappearing behind Shalimar and Brennan.  
  
"I believe that it's time for you two to meet Fate!" the lady officer yelled as both Brennan and Shalimar swung around to face her.  
  
"Not if I have something to say about that," Shalimar retorted slyly, switching into feral mode.  
  
"Don't bet on that," said a familiar voice from above them all. All four looked up to view Gabriel Ashlocke floating down to the street. As Shalimar and Brennan took several steps backwards, Gabriel landed in front of the two smirking police officers.  
  
"Glad you made it, Gabriel," the black officer spoke up.  
  
"Why would I miss out on fulfilling a dream like this. Let's get this party started!" Ashlocke answered in his godly way. Terror spread across Shalimar and Brennan's faces. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Author's Note: So, how did you like it? Please review and leave your comments/feedback, I really would like to hear how I'm doing. I'm sorry if anyone was offended in any way by the part about Shalimar's early driving experience, but I've never seen Shalimar drive anything other than her motorbike (if she has, please correct me). :-) Thanks a lot for everyone's feedback! ^_^ 


	3. Unexpected Fate

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Mutant X,... although I really wish that I did.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Pairings: I guess I've ended up pairing Shal/Bren and Jesse/Emma. Tell me what you think!  
  
Author's Note: Hi again, everyone. Thanks to all who reviewed, your comments were great! Since my plot has changed some, I've decided to also change the rating to fit it better. This is the third chapter to my sequel to A Breed Apart. I hope that you like it! Please read and review :-)  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Revelations  
  
Chapter 3 : Unexpected Fate  
  
XXXX Emma and Jesse in the Double Helix, Adam at Sanctuary XXXX  
  
"What?!" Adam asked as he hit his hand on the med lab wall, wording 'Damn it'.  
  
"Yeah, I tried to get a read off Shalimar and then Brennan, and they both gave  
  
back the same thing- complete darkness. They must...be unconscious," Emma answered,  
  
worry filling her voice.  
  
"Okay, stay calm guys. Just... keep going with what we discussed before. They  
  
shouldn't be too far from the Audi. And make sure that you're really careful!" Adam  
  
answered, as he dragged his hand over his face and turned his com link off.  
  
XXXX Several minutes later XXXX  
  
Coming out of an alley, Jesse and Emma turned the corner onto a dimly lit street. The  
  
street was lined with multi-story apartment buildings and little shops, almost all of them  
  
were dark, since it was so late at night. That is, everyone was asleep except for the people  
  
at the night club. Both Emma and Jesse began walking down the sidewalk towards the club.  
  
"Adam, we're here. But I don't see them anywhere," Jesse spoke with worry into  
  
his com ring.  
  
"They should be within 50 feet of your present position... almost right in front of  
  
you," Adam replied back after looking at the locator map on the computer screen. Emma  
  
and Jesse kept walking, passing several parked cars, all the while looking around, hoping  
  
to find either Brennan or Shalimar just sitting on a bench together or walking down an  
  
alley. They couldn't even find the Audi. After walking for several minutes, they both  
  
stopped and leaned against one of the building's walls, with all hope of finding Brennan  
  
and Shalimar gone.  
  
"Adam, we're going...." Jesse started to say before being interrupted.  
  
"Wait! I see it! We passed it without noticing it!" Emma exclaimed, as both she  
  
and Jesse ran over to the Audi. Located in the darkest part of the street, being the farthest  
  
away from the sodium lights, it was no wonder that they missed it. Back at Sanctuary,  
  
Adam's face lit up with joy, as he believed that his premonitions had been wrong. Jesse  
  
began looking in the windows on the drivers side, while Emma looked in on the passenger  
  
side, searching for any traces of Brennan or Shalimar. Inside the car was nothing of  
  
importance, only two partially drunk lattes in the cup holder and the jacket that Shal had  
  
worn lying in the backseat.  
  
"Appears to be nothing useful in finding where they went, except... hey!, what's  
  
this here?" Jesse asked as he motioned to a reddish-brown spot near the windshield.  
  
"Oh my gosh! That looks like dried on blood!" Emma gasped, suddenly picking  
  
up a horrifying vision of what happened to Brennan and Shalimar. Overcome with  
  
emotion, Emma rested her hand above the passenger door.  
  
"Emma what is it? What...." Jesse started to ask as he noticed a dark colored car  
  
come screeching around the corner and begin stepping on it as it headed towards them.  
  
As both of them turned to look at this, the windows were rolled down and guns were  
  
poked out. The entire street where they were was covered with bullets. Car windows  
  
were breaking everywhere, alarms started going off, and frightened dogs were beginning  
  
to bark, creating total chaos.  
  
"Emma! Ducckk..!!!" Jesse yelled as he attempted to become impervious, while  
  
Emma quickly dropped down and covered her head with her arms. Yet, before Jesse  
  
could completely mass, two bullets struck him- one in his thigh, the other right below his  
  
shoulder. Several seconds later, the gunshots stopped as the vehicle skidded around a  
  
corner and took off.  
  
"What.." Jesse gasped for air, causing him to phase. "What the..." Jesse tried to  
  
say as he took several steps forward, only causing him to gasp more and making him mass.  
  
After continuing his cycle of massing and phasing for a couple of seconds, Jesse tried to  
  
speak again while walking towards Emma, who was cautiously getting up, turning her  
  
head from side to side to make sure that the gunmen were gone.  
  
"Emma,.. I've... been shot!" Jesse managed to say before he fainted from shock  
  
and fell to the ground. Seeing Jesse fall, Emma rushed over to him, grabbing his  
  
unconscious head in the palms of her hands.  
  
"Jesse! Jesse, are you okay?" she cried, trying to hold back sobs. "Oh Jesse, your  
  
always so kind and helpful. Why did those people have to do this to you?" she choked  
  
out, tears streaming down her face. Jesse didn't even move or flutter his eyes from his  
  
seemingly comatose state. Yet, as she crouched there crying over Jesse's limp body, she  
  
heard the sound of sirens- police, ambulance, whatever emergency vehicles could make it  
  
to the scene quickly. Emma looked around, only to see that people were also beginning to  
  
open windows and doors and peek outside at the damage. She knew that she had to  
  
leave, quickly. Determined, she stood up, gathered whatever strength of will she had left,  
  
and somehow managed to get herself and Jesse's body back to the Double Helix.  
  
TBC... XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Author's Note: So, how did you like it? Please review and give your comments; feedback is greatly appreciated. :-) If only I could get... (writer has puppy dog eyes) 8 reviews for this chapter, that would be totally awesome!!! Thanks to all who review.  
  
PS. Sorry the formatting is so bad, I'll try to fix it next time. : ) 


	4. Hope Broken

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Mutant X, its' characters, its' plots, etc. , etc. You get the point.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews. Sorry that it has taken me soooooo long to update, I had a major case of writer's block and had completely lost where I was going to take this story. After some thought, I finally came up with this really great plot that I've decided to include into this story. But trust me, the wait has been worth it. I hope you enjoy it, and please, please REVIEW! :-) ************************************************************************  
  
Revelations  
  
Chapter 4: Hope Broken  
  
Nothing on earth can make life so worthwhile,  
  
Than a true, loyal friend and the warmth of a smile,  
  
For, just like a sunbeam makes cloudy days brighter,  
  
The smile of a friend makes a heavy heart lighter.  
  
-Helen Steiner Rice  
  
XXXX Adam, Emma, and Jesse at Sanctuary XXXX  
  
"He'll be fine,... right?" Emma asked as she stood by the med lab chair, her voice full of worry and her eyes reddened, obviously from crying. She looked down and slowly raised her hand and placed it softly on Jesse's bruised cheek, hoping that his unconscious body would suddenly just awaken.  
  
"Yes, I'm fairly certain of that," Adam answered, as he walked over to check on Jesse's biostats. "Neither bullet penetrated deep enough to do any fatal damage. Other than having a very sore shoulder and leg for a couple of days, he should be perfectly normal by tomorrow morning, possibly even awake by then," Adam finished as he walked back over to Jesse and stood across from Emma.  
  
As the two of them stared at each other momentarily, it was obvious to Emma that the day's events had taken a toll on Adam. The calm solidarity that Adam usually possessed was missing, replaced by sadness, guilt, and anger. There was even a touch of pessimism to him that night. Even on days when the team was having a really tough time and you could easily tell that Adam was feeling guilty for his past actions, even those days could not compare with how Adam looked now. His eyes were dark, without any twinkle to them, and dark bags were forming underneath them; his dimples were camouflaged beneath his pain; and his curly hair was in a jostled mess.  
  
"Adam,.." Emma started to say, but Adam interrupted, seemingly knowing what Emma was going to ask.  
  
"You're reading me, aren't you?!" Emma shook her head slightly, as Adam just continued speaking. "It's nothing! It's just..." Adam hesitated, his emotions building to a climax. Sensing this, Emma walked over and grabbed his hands, holding them to give him the confidence needed to continue. "It's just, I feel like I have to protect you guys,.. all of my children, and I've, I've failed you today. Brennan and Shalimar are missing, Jesse's been shot, and you're..."  
  
"It's okay, Adam, it really is," Emma replied, giving Adam a sympathetic hug. A single tear fell down Adam's cheek as guilt over events long past tortured him. Adam pulled away from Emma, quickly dragging his hand across his face to hide his sadness.  
  
"Should I tell her?" Adam thought. He looked up to see Emma's pale, innocent face, her eyes glistening, wet with un-fallen tears, her dark lips forced into a small smile.  
  
"I just can't... not now at least." A smile spread across his face, his happiness returning, more and more with each second.  
  
"What?" Emma asked, for once not sensing what Adam's feelings were at that moment.  
  
"Just thinking about how elated I was the day I first saw you." Emma blushed slightly and started to giggle, as she gave him a little jab in the shoulder.  
  
"Hey!" Adam said lightly as he let out a laugh.  
  
"Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you about the hit I got while Jesse and I were out," Emma replied enthusiastically, as she changed the subject. Adam gave her a look, as if he were saying 'Please continue'. "It was horrible,.. what happened to Brennan and Shalimar. They were pulled over and arrested by two cops. But the cops weren't normal- they were both new mutants, and they were being assisted by someone else who was also a new..." Emma didn't even finish her sentence because the look on Adam's face frightened her.  
  
"Great," Adam said with disappointed anger. "I had a feeling that something like this was going to happen... do you have any idea where they are now?"  
  
"Yeah. They were taken to the OPP to be booked. You're going to go get them, aren't you?"  
  
"I have to."  
  
"Then I'll go with you"  
  
"No Emma! I think that you'd be safer here..."  
  
"To sit here and hold my breath until you and the others come back! I..."  
  
"NO!"  
  
"But I'm not..."  
  
"Emma! Look at me! You've already gone through a lot today, and there's no need for you to go through more trouble. And anyways..." Adam started to say, as he noticed a small yawn creep from Emma, "you need your rest." After pouting for a moment, Emma decided to give up arguing.  
  
"Okay, Dad-dy," she answered sarcastically, as she put her hands on her hips, mimicking a little kid complaining.  
  
"Then it's settled. I should be back in an hour. I'll leave my comlink on if you want to talk to someone. And make sure you keep an eye on Jesse's biostats."  
  
"Fine. See you later then," Emma replied, slightly annoyed, as she walked out of the med lab, Adam's eyes following her leave. After she left his view, Adam hit a table with his hand, upset at the turn of events. Leaning against the wall, he looked towards the floor, thinking and searching for something that he could never quite reach.  
  
"Damn it! I should have told her!" Adam thought silently to himself.  
  
(THWACK!) Adam was quickly taken out of his thoughts. "She slammed her door again." he said out loud to himslef, as he shook his head and decided to go and get Brennan and Shalimar.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Home is where the heart is.  
  
-Pliny  
  
XXXX Later, Emma Meditating in the Dojo XXXX  
  
Emma's arms rested lightly on her knees, as she sat cross-legged, eyes closed. She was trying very hard to meditate, but was more in her philosophical mood again than a peaceful, meditative one. Before Adam had left, she had gone to her room and changed into her favorite pajamas- a white tank with a red rose on it and white flannel pants- before coming to the dojo to try and relax. The dojo was the perfect place to calm down; the trickling sound of the nearby waterfall complemented Emma's soft breathing, creating a most serene location. Filling her mind with thoughts and all her worries and hopes, she plunged into the philosophical world she had been in only hours ago, before her reality had been turned upside down.  
  
Emma debated things, tossed ideas around, all the while trying desperately to win the battle of depression she was grappling with. She had been a loner for most of her life, having very few true friends. But if one of those friends got hurt, like her teammates had today, she would fight to help them with whatever she could, or at least comfort their sorrows and make them smile and laugh, even if she had to use her telempathy. But today was different. She hadn't been able to help rescue Brennan and Shalimar. And she had witnessed Jesse being shot- almost fatally- before her very eyes. Yet she had done nothing, and couldn't have now, for what was done was done. The past could not be altered, as far as she knew, only the future could be decided by what she chose as actions in the present.  
  
Disappointed at her actions, those which she saw as a failure on her part, Emma grew angry with herself. The anger grew and grew, so great, that she wasn't controlling her powers, especially her new ability. A psionic blast bubbled at the tip of her forehead, and before she realized it and controlled her anger, the blast released from her head. Racing towards the floor, it crashed with a small "pop". Emma's eyes flew open, realizing what she had just done, only to view the small, blackened stain on the off-white floor with embarrassment.  
  
'This is getting me nowhere!' Emma thought, frustrated with herself. Her lips formed a little smile as she thought about what Adam's face would look like when he saw the black spot, the spot which she had made in Adam's perfect Sanctuary, his home. More relaxed, Emma closed her eyes again, meditating for real this time. But before long, she yawned, overcome with exhaustion. Self-consciously, she laid down, resting her head on her arms. Here she quietly slept, the water still trickling softly in the background.  
  
  
  
************************************************************************ *** Emma's Dream: Part 1 ***  
  
A little girl, no more than four, was running through a field covered to her knees by daisies, black-eyed Susan's, and other wildflowers. Her long, curly brown hair was blown back by the small gusts of wind riding through the meadow. The girl's white linen dress trailed behind her, as she continued running, arms outstretched as she almost reached her destination. Slowing down, the girl came towards a mahogany thicket. A blanket and picnic basket had been placed under one of the trees, where a tall, slender lady stood, her wavy red hair blowing, also. The woman turned to greet the girl with outstretched arms and a broad smile on her face.  
  
"Mommy!" the little girl cried as she ran right into the woman's arms. The woman lifted her up and spun her around once before setting her back down.  
  
"My little pearl, how I've missed the natural you!" the mother replied, as the two grabbed hands and walked over to the picnic blanket to eat. The picnic basket was opened, and watermelon slices and honey sandwiches on homemade bread were taken out. The girl readily ate, looking and moving around, bubbling with energy and hardly able to hold still. The mother starred at the girl, perplexed at the sudden outburst of energy from the normally subtle and judicious small girl. The girl had always had a very strange intuitiveness about her. The mother knew where it had come from; those...  
  
"Mum! Look, a bird!" the little girl whispered with utter delight, as a blue jay hopped over to the two of them, a worm in it's beak. With her sandwich still in her hands, the girl went over to touch it and talk to it, but it flew off before she could reach it. Sitting back down, the girl finished eating her sandwich, licking the honey off of her fingers ever so slowly, savoring it's sweetness.  
  
" Sweetie, stop sucking your fingers like that. It's such a beautiful day to waste it doing that," the mother scolded lightly. The girl stopped moving, leaving the last finger to be licked right below her lips, as she sat there, staring at the woman, perhaps beyond the woman, ever so attentively.  
  
" Your eyes are...are so blue. Enchanting almost, like a sapphire stone or today's clear sky, yet... they tell so much." The mother blinked her eyes once, rendered speechless by what her daughter had just said. Happy, yet sad at the same time, the mother began to laugh. Leaning over, she placed a soft kiss on the girl's forehead. Broad grins spread across both of their faces, the girl's baby teeth glistening in the afternoon sunshine. Gazing down at her child, her peculiar child, the woman caught a glimpse of something move in the brush, not to far off from where they were sitting. Turning her eyes slightly to see exactly what it was there, the girl followed her gaze, both of them seeing a strange, dark figure standing nearby.  
  
"Huh!" the girl gasped as she pointed at the figure. Getting up, the girl ran over to where the figure had been standing. But by the time she had gotten to that spot, there was no one, nothing at all. The girl walked back with a confused look on her pale, innocent face.  
  
"Who, or should I say, what was that?" she questioned diligently. The mother had no idea how to answer this, but made up an answer anyway.  
  
"It was probably just a shadow, or maybe a deer... coming to meet you." The girl, still young and quite naive, readily believed it, and soon went back to playing in the field in front of her mother. Yet, the mother knew who it was who had been standing there, but kept it to herself, all the while keeping a close watch the rest of the afternoon, making sure that the figure didn't come that close again. Sitting on the blanket cross-legged, the mother saw her little girl running happily through the meadow, chasing butterflies, as she sat quietly, watching.  
  
  
  
************************************************************************ For nearly an hour, Emma slept peacefully on the dojo floor, having dreams similar to this one. Dreams which seemed to have a meaning to her, lost long ago, as if they were forgotten memories that her subconscious remembered, but that her conscious just couldn't. Waking up slightly, Emma rolled over, going back to sleep, to her dreams. Only this time, those dreams would be somewhat different.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
XXXX Adam at the OPP (police station) XXXX  
  
  
  
Adam quickened his pace as he walked up the concrete stairs to the OPP main station. It was late- very late- and the late autumn sky was pitch black. He had to get Brennan and Shalimar back promptly and make sure that they were okay. He only hoped that the worst had not already happened.  
  
  
  
Walking through the turn style, Adam headed towards the main desk. Dozens of police officers were all around him- walking around, escorting arrested criminals, interrogating witnesses. Yet he kept walking, eyes looking straight ahead, concentrated only about what he came there to do.  
  
  
  
"How may I help you?" asked a friendly voice from behind the main desk.  
  
"I've been contacted and told that my two friends have been arrested and are being held on bail. I'm here to pay it and get them out," Adam answered.  
  
"What are their names?" the woman questioned, as she sat ready to type. There was a pause before Adam answered.  
  
  
  
"Shalimar Fox... and Brennan Mulwray." The disappointed anger in Adam's voice was so obvious that even the woman caught it.  
  
  
  
"Are you okay, sir?"  
  
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. It's just been a really long day. That's all."  
  
"No argument there. Well, sir, it seems your day has just gotten better!" the woman replied, as the info on Brennan and Shalimar popped up on the screen. Adam gave the woman a confused look.  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Yes, sir. Someone paid their bail already, and.. they were let go about an hour ago. It appears that some other friend paid for everything, and was even nice enough to escort them home. That must be some really good friend, considering how large the fines were." Adam sighed as his worries came back. Leaning against the counter for a moment, he took in what the woman had said, before he stood back up to ask the only logical question left.  
  
"Could you at least tell me who did this for them?" Adam asked, staring straight into the woman's eyes.  
  
"Yes," the woman responded, almost automatically. "A man named Mr. Gabriel Ashlocke." Those words hit Adam like a brick, as he assimilated the events in his mind. He stood there in a state of shock, dark eyes opened wide, as he placed his hand on the countertop to balance himself momentarily. He blinked once, slowly, before turning to leave. Walking several steps, he paused once and turned to face the woman.  
  
"You've been a great help!" he told the woman, with slight sarcasm. The woman just sat there, mouth still open from speaking, a look of confusion on her face. Adam nodded his head and just kept walking towards the exit, back through the mess of police officers.  
  
A frown passed over his face and his eyes darkened to what they had been earlier that day, giving him an almost evil appearance. It was as if a dark spirit had taken control of him. Strolling along, his surroundings were clouded, for all he thought of was what had just happened. Even being so blinded, Adam should have noticed the man approaching him from out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't, and it was too late to react now.  
  
The two collided full force, Adam's left shoulder slamming against the police officers shoulder. Adam was swung around, rudely awakened to reality. The police officer tried to remain standing by grabbing onto Adam's jacket.  
  
"Hey man! What's your problem, eh?" the black police officer asked, obviously pissed off.  
  
"Nothing. I'm sorry... sorry that I ran into you," Adam answered apologetically, before he turned back to the direction that he was originally headed- out. As Adam walked through the turnstyle, leaving behind everything which had just happened, the black police officer just stood there watching Adam leave.  
  
"I'm not sorry," the officer whispered to himself with a smirk. ***********************************************************************  
  
XXXX Back at Sanctuary, Emma still Sleeping in the Dojo XXXX  
  
*** Emma's Dream: Part 2 *** A small baby girl, only a few months old, lay cooing in a rocker. Two figures stood nearby in the shadowed background, talking quietly and discussing the child. "She seems so pale in the light.... Are you sure that she's... normal..." There was a pause in the woman's voice before it trailed off, too soft to hear. The other person hesitated before answering this, as both figures, one man and one woman, stood there staring at the baby girl. The man raised his hand and gently pushed the rocker. The baby giggled and threw her tiny, frail arms up to grasp the receding hand.  
  
"Every living organism is born different from everything else. There are no two personalities, or faces, or anything at all that are exactly alike. The same goes for her, and all the others like her," answered the man with noticeable patience.  
  
"But,... how did she... was she able to send me those images of her crying, even when I was so far away from her?" asked the woman, as she let the baby wrap her small hands around the woman's finger. Another pause from the man as he thought of an appropriate answer.  
  
"The world was meant to be diverse, and anomalies..., like her, only add to that diversity. It's what's inside that matters." ********************************************************************* Blackness swept through Emma's mind, as the dream suddenly ended, those last words echoing over and over in her head. Her subconscious confused, she started asking herself a bunch of questions. "Who were those people? What do they have to do with me?" Those two questions kept popping up most often, as she tried to sort things out. She didn't seem to recognize anyone from her dreams, yet, she felt like she should have- that those people were somehow important to her and her being. What Emma didn't know, was that those questions would soon be answered, whether she wanted to know or not. Being pulled back into another dream, almost as if by force, her subconscious stopped questioning, letting her mind rest. ********************************************************************** *** Emma's Dream: Part 3 ***  
  
The same baby girl from the last dream lay quietly in a wooden crib. Trying to sit up, the little girl found that she could barely move- her muscles were too weak. Looking down at her wrists, she saw an IV which was inserted there, acknowledging where the pain was coming from. The child's movement had distracted someone several feet away, and soon, a woman came walking over.  
  
"Hush now, little one." The child managed to turn her head towards the voice, seeing a face, a familiar face.  
  
"Muma!" the little girl said weakly, as she began to cry softly for she was in great pain. Seeing the baby girl whimpering, the woman picked up the child and carried her over to a rocking chair. The woman sat, holding the girl, calming the girl, wiping away the girl's tears of pain.  
  
"Quiet now, my little red rose," the woman told the girl before she decided to sing the child a little song.  
  
"Sleep and rest, sleep and rest, Father will come to thee soon; Rest, rest, on mother's breast, Father will come to thee soon; Father will come to his babe in his nest, Silver sails all out of the west Under the silver moon. Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, Sleep."  
  
As the woman finished singing the last verse, having put the sickly toddler back to sleep, tears fell down her face, one by one. She knew that the child's father wouldn't be back, not for a long time at least. Feeling pity for the little girl, her daughter, the woman kissed the child on the forehead, before pulling the covers up to her chin. Taking her place back at the rocking chair, the woman sat, keeping watch over her ill child for the rest of the night. ******************************************************************** The dream stopped, but not for long. After having just enough time to feel compassion for that poor child, Emma was forced into another dream. Only this time, it would be totally different. ******************************************************************** All there was to be seen was darkness, as Emma sat quietly on the ground, holding her legs.  
  
"Hello, Emma," said a familiar voice from behind Emma. She got up and turned to face the person.  
  
"Who's there?" Emma asked, slightly scared.  
  
" Oh, no one. Just God." Gabriel Ashlocke. It had to be the voice of Gabriel. In the distance, Emma could barely make out a figure. She hated when she couldn't see what was happening.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
" Not much, except for you and your MX friends to receive their just punishment, especially Adam. But don't worry, your friends have already been taken care of." Suddenly, Brennan and Shalimar appeared before Emma, Brennan to her right, Shalimar to her left. They were being tortured. Brennan was strapped to a wall and was surrounded by a whole gang of GS agents, who were zapping him, repeatedly. Shalimar was surrounded on all sides by several circles of fire. Sweat was rolling down her face, as she just stood frozen there, in the center of the circles, panicked.  
  
"Help me, Emma!" Brennan managed to say before he was zapped again and again, his whole body shaking from the electricity being put on him..  
  
"Emma! You have to help us!" Shalimar said frantically.  
  
"Well, who are you going to save- Brennan or Shalimar?" Emma wanted to save both, but knew that she couldn't. She stood her ground momentarily, as she contemplated what to do.  
  
"Too bad. You're too late for both of them." At that moment, Shalimar gave out a terrified scream, as the fire moved towards her and engulfed her, leaving nothing behind but her burnt remains.[1] Brennan gave one last grunt, before everyone surrounded him, zapping him simultaneously. His head soon hung limply, and Emma knew he was gone. Cutting the straps which held him, the agents left, letting Brennan's body fall to the ground with a thump.  
  
"Nooo!" Emma yelled, trying to run to save her friends, but she was too late. Grabbing Brennan's head, she shook him.  
  
" Wake up, please!" she cried desperately. With no response, she softly laid his head back down and stood up. Standing over Shalimar's scorched body , a single tear dropped on the heap, as Emma turned around to face Gabriel. Before Emma had a chance to say anything, Gabriel answered for her.  
  
"It's not over," Gabriel said calmly, as he smirked and turned and pointed to the figures appearing behind him. Jesse was fighting several GS agents, who had surrounded him tactically in a circle. Massing his hand, he threw a punch at one agent, sending him flying into another, both of them falling over unconscious. Turning around poised to fight, three more agents came at him with electric zappers. Knocking one of the zappers out of an agent's hand with a front kick, Jesse caught it and phased, letting the two other agents run into and zap each other. Walking past his fallen comrades, the third GS agent kicked Jesse in the stomach right as he had stopped phasing, sending Jesse flying backwards. Getting up, the agent upper-chucked Jesse's chin, throwing him back down. Having time to recoup, five more agents joined this one agent. Seeing that he was once again surrounded, Jesse did a front roll and stood up, blood dripping down from his nose and mouth.  
  
Emma had watched all of this in disbelief, and had stood where she was, muscles frozen. Acknowledging that Jesse needed her help, she started to run in his direction, yet with no avail. Every step she took forward, Jesse appeared to take two steps away from her.  
  
"Jesse!" Emma called out. Jesse had at least heard her, and turned in her direction, a smile forming on his face. What both of them had forgotten though, for that brief second, was that Jesse was still surrounded by agents. Turning back around to face his opponents, Jesse's face was greeted by a brutal punch to the nose. Blood spattered everywhere, even on several of the GS agents. Shaking his head to recover from the blow, Jesse was met repeatedly with kick after kick, punch after punch. Jesse was beaten to the bone, barely able to stand, and Emma couldn't do anything about it, she couldn't even reach Jesse. Finally, Jesse's legs buckled as he fell to the ground with a thud. The six agents formed a tight circle around him. Pulling out zappers, one of them zapped him to see if he was still alive. Giving out a weak moan, Jesse tried frantically to get back up. Seeing that he was still conscious, the agents started zapping him, over and over, until his body moved no more.  
  
"Nooo! Stop! Please stop!" Emma screamed, crying while she was running, still trying to reach Jesse. The agents had heard her screaming, and all six had turned around to face her. Emma stopped running, for it was obviously no use now, for she could see Jesse's lifeless body on the ground. Seeing her alone, they turned to each other and smiled, presuming that getting her was going to be an easy job. Pulling away from Jesse, they formed a line, walking straight towards Emma. She turned around quickly to run away, but ran right into Adam.  
  
"Don't worry, Emma," Adam said coolly, grabbing Emma's shoulder. "I'll take care of this." The six agents were now only ten feet away, and Adam walked over to them, ready to fight. Still waving around their zappers, the agents formed a half-circle, confident that they would finally succeed. Adam paused for a moment, standing in his fighting stance, while Emma slowly started walking forward to help him.  
  
"When you can't beat your enemies..." Adam started to say, as he turned around to face Emma, morphing into Gabriel.  
  
"You join them," finished Ashlocke. Emma gasped out loud as she tried to runaway by taking several slow steps backwards, only to run into what felt like a brick wall.  
  
"Going somewhere?" asked Ashlocke. Emma glanced to her side to see Gabriel standing right behind her. Before she could move, Gabriel grabbed her wrists. Emma felt a sharp pain shoot through her body as both of her arms were slashed by a razor-sharp blade.  
  
"Aaahhh!" Emma screamed in agony, after she grabbed her arms, warm blood covering her hands. "Oww!" she screeched, as the blade cut through her thighs. Emma fell to the ground, holding her arms, then her legs, trying to control the pain.  
  
"So you don't like to be in pain." Ashlocke said in a taunting manner, as he stood over Emma's body. "Maybe you and your MX friends should have considered how much grief you've caused others." Ashlocke poked her again, feeling in his wild rage that she was simply receiving just punishment. **********************************************************************  
  
Emma's body still lay on the dojo floor, only this time, she wasn't sleeping peacefully. Her body was jerking around and her white pajamas were matted with blood. Emma had let out a few muffled screams, as each cut she received appeared on her body, each scream gaining in magnitude. ~ * ~ Coming out of the garage, Adam walked slowly into Sanctuary, his head hanging down. Passing by the med lab, he saw that Jesse was still resting in his comatose state, and he wondered where Emma could be. That's when he heard it- a scream coming from the dojo. Adam quickly ran down the hallway and towards the dojo. Leaping up the stairs two at a time, he reached Emma and stood frozen for a moment, staring at her jerking body. Her arms and legs were all cut up and blood was spattered everywhere- on her clothes and on the floor. After seeing that she still asleep, Adam bent down hastily and grabbed her shoulders.  
  
"Wake up, Emma! Wake up!" he yelled at her unconscious body as he shook shoulders. No result. Adam kept shaking her, desperately, but with no effect. TBC.... ************************************************************************  
  
A/N: That's all for now. I hope you enjoyed it. Please drop me a review and tell me your comment- I would love to hear from you! So PLEASE REVIEW! :-)  
  
----------------------- [1] I know that that sounds weird, but this is a dream, a psionic dream, where most things are beyond belief, and probably impossible to happen so quickly. 


	5. The Spirit Within

Disclaimer: I do own Mutant X and everything about them. Ahahahha! Yeah right! I wish I did, but I don't.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: A short chapter concluding Ashlocke's visit into Emma's mind.  
  
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed- you were great! :-) Sorry for the delay, but I've been really busy lately. But hey, even though it's really short, I've finally found the time to post. Don't worry- there are still a bunch of surprises coming your way. ************************************************************************  
  
Revelations  
  
Chapter 5: The Spirit Within  
  
You were bound. You were free. You wear black. For me. You were dark. Dark as night. You were wrong. You were right.  
  
- John Ondrasik  
  
XXXX Adam and Emma at Sanctuary XXXX  
  
"Emma! Come on, wake up!" Adam yelled at Emma's jerking body, still shaking her shoulders roughly. As another cut appeared on her arms, her eyes fluttered, fighting to open. Finally seeing a reaction, Adam stopped shaking her and just held her bloodstained body in his arms. The convulsions grew to a peak, then suddenly stopped, Emma's eyes shooting open simultaneously.  
  
Blinking slowly, she stared off into space, at the ceiling, for several seconds, not moving or even breathing. Turning her eyes to the side, she saw Adam and smiled weakly, as she slowly tried to prop herself up on her elbows.  
  
"Adam," Emma whispered faintly, her head swaying slightly from side to side. Adam softly grabbed her shoulder to help her sit up, waiting patiently for her to continue talking. Trying to speak again, her eyes started to flutter and roll back, as the pain from numerous cuts began to flood every corner of her body.  
  
"Help. me," she gasped before collapsing on the floor.  
  
"Emma!" Adam rushed to grab her jerking body. Drops of sweat appeared on Emma's forehead as she fell back into having stiff convulsions. Grabbing her body and lifting her up, Adam quickly carried Emma down the stairs, drops of blood splattering the stairs and off-white floor.  
  
"Em, please. you have to fight back," Adam choked out, his face a contorted picture of shame and pain. Approaching the med lab, the door started to open, taking what felt like a lifetime to Adam. Laying Emma's thrashed and bruised body on the chair across from Jesse, Adam strapped her to chair so she wouldn't fall off. He quickly pulled over the biostat monitor and connected several sensors to her wrists and neck, cutting off her tank top to place heart and breathing rate biosensors to her chest. Still seeing no response in her condition, Adam ran over to a counter, grabbing the vaccine containing a potent sedative, checking to see that it worked correctly. As he turned back towards Emma, he saw a table flying over, flasks and pipets crashing into the floor and breaking into dozens of pieces. A circular gust started forming around Emma, knocking over flasks and cylinders and blowing about various papers and lightweight objects.  
  
"Emma!" Adam yelled as he slowly made his way back to her side, holding her head and injecting her neck with the sedative. Shaking and jerking even more, almost to the point of falling off the chair, Emma's eyes shot open as she attempted to grab Adam's sleeve. Grabbing her flailing hand, Adam stood by her momentarily.  
  
"Please go!. I'm in this alone. Go!" Emma managed to say between convulsions. Holding her hand for one last moment and giving it a light squeeze, Adam softly kissed her forehead, before letting her fingertips slip through his palms. Turning around, Adam found Jesse lying on the chair, his eyes wide open in shock.  
  
"Adam, please tell me this is not happening!"  
  
"It sure is, and we've gotta get the hell out of here fast! You go ahead, I'll be right out!"  
  
"What about Emma?" Jesse yelled as he pointed towards her.  
  
"I'll take care of her!" Adam muttered to Jesse, as he grabbed Jesse's arm, forcing him off his chair. Barely able to walk through the growing gusts, Jesse slowly made his way to the med lab door, dodging papers and pens and letting larger objects and glassware phase through him, while Adam almost crawled back to the main computer. Adam quickly set up a force field to protect Emma and contain the destruction, while Jesse stood outside, leaning on the door because he was in so much pain that he was barely able to stand. Looking up from the computer, Adam checked to see if the field was activated. Suddenly, an empty flask knocked Adam on the back of his head, the glass shattering everywhere as Adam fell onto the keyboard, unconscious.  
  
Seeing Adam knocked out, Jesse frantically tried to walk through the hallway that led nearest to where Adam was, tripping along the way and using the wall for support. Phasing through the wall with all of the strength he had left, Jesse grabbed Adam by the shoulders and dragged him towards the hallway, phasing both of them back through the wall. Appearing on the other side, Jesse dropped Adam onto the floor, unable to hold him any longer. Jesse crunched over gasping for air and trying frenziedly to calm his body, but instead fell down beside Adam, leaving both of them laying on the floor unconscious.  
  
Back inside the med lab, the gusts had grown so strong that everything inside was airborne, circling around Emma. Looking placidly off into space, Emma couldn't see what was happening around her, she could only hear glass breaking and the wind howling. Yet, she could still feel Ashlocke's presence in her mind. The only thing that she felt was the pain her nerves were relaying to her brain and the soft kiss Adam had just given her. Emma felt like she was going to die because she was in so much pain, but she decided that she wouldn't. She had too much to live for- friends, teammates, those whom she helped, and that one feeling that she had never really felt before this last year- true friendship. Thinking again about the kiss, that soft, friendly kiss, she tried desperately to take several deep breaths. Breathing in and out in an attempt to control the convulsions, she felt herself being lifted by the wind, ever so slowly. The restraints she had noticed earlier must have broken off. As a last resort Emma formed a huge psionic blast over her forehead.  
  
"Go to hell, Ashlocke!" Emma screamed, shooting the psionic blast with no particular aim. As Emma fell back towards the chair, the entire room went up in a white light, blowing everything inside to the walls and breaking so many unfinished experiments in that brief second.  
  
To Be Continued..  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Author's Note: Yeah, I know that that was really, really short, but I promise the next chapter will be much longer (and will actually include Brennan and Shalimar- yeah!). And hey, if the reviews come rolling in, I'll try very, very hard to get the next chapter up by this weekend. So PLEASE REVIEW! ( 


	6. Tribulation

Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X. If I did, do you really think that I would be allowed to write here? J  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: Jesse and Adam wake up to find chaos. Emma's psionic wave leaves the team at lost as to what had happened. An interesting relationship is explored between two unlikely mutants... That's all for now- read on to find out more. ~* *~ means someone's thoughts. And please, READ AND REVIEW! Thank you so much! J  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Revelations Chapter 6: Tribulation : Part 1  
  
I'm going to keep this secret... I'm going to break the cycle. I'm going to shake up the system. I'm going to destroy my ego. I guess I'll die another day. It's not my time to go. I guess I'll die another day...  
  
-Madonna  
  
************************** Sanctuary *****************************  
  
The hallway was dark and silent, a dusty haze covering the floor. The only light had been destroyed several minutes earlier by the wave of psionic energy which had radiated from the med lab.  
  
Here, two bodies lay limply on the floor, separated by a short distance. Jesse had fallen onto his stomach, a bloodstain barely visible on his tan tee-shirt. Still unconscious, he was breathing irregularly, gasping for air every few seconds, then calming down and looking placid again.  
  
Beside him lay Adam, who was bent over on his side in an odd position, a small puddle of blood forming around his head. Adam's eyes shot open as he laid still, staring at the floor and taking long, deep breaths.  
  
~* Why am I on the floor? *~ Adam thought, as he tried to get up. Rolling over to his back with great effort, Adam slowly sat up, his head aching horribly. Dizziness overcame him almost immediately. Raising his hand to touch the back of his head, he felt something soft and warm seeping out.  
  
~* Blood?! *~ Bringing his hand in front of him, Adam saw that he was correct. He stood up and slowly paced back and forth in the hall, staring at the ground solemnly.  
  
"Uugghh!" Jesse coughed and choked as he started to sit up, spitting blood onto the floor. Adam stopped walking and looked up, giving Jesse a confused look.  
  
"Jesse?" he shook his head slightly, unsure if what he saw was real or not. "Are you okay?" Jesse gave a sardonic glance towards Adam before wiping the blood from his nose and mouth with the back of his sleeve.  
  
"What do you think?" Jesse answered sarcastically as he spit more blood out of his mouth.  
  
"Sorry, Jesse," Adam walked over and put out his hand. Grabbing it, Jesse stood up next to Adam. The two glanced at each other momentarily, glaring into the other's face. "What hap."  
  
"Why were." the two said simultaneously. Jesse and Adam smiled slightly, the tension lightening some, as Adam set his hand on Jesse's shoulder momentarily before taking a few slow steps past Jesse.  
  
"What did happen to us?" Jesse asked seriously turning to face Adam. About to answer, Adam noticed a broken light bulb and debris laying on the floor at the end of the hallway. Walking there, Adam paused at what he saw in front of him.  
  
"Jesse!" Adam yelled, motioning for Jesse to come with him. "I think we're about to find out!" Adam finished, as both of them ran through the cluttered mess of plaster and glass covering the hallway. Stopping in front of where the med lab door used to be, they both stood there, staring at the chaos with utter confusion.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
You can try to resist, but you can't hide from my kiss, But you know, but you know, that deep in the dark, you'll surrender your heart, But you know, but you know, you can't escape my love. -(it's not mine, belongs to someone else, but I can't their remember name)  
  
XXXX The Strand's Place XXXX The leopard print chiffon canopy curtains blew softly in a dark and drafty room, deep within the Strand's hideout. Dozens of short, white candles were placed on tables surrounding the bed, providing the room's only light.  
  
Behind the masking curtains lay Shalimar, her chest heaving up and down rhythmically as she rested peacefully. She lay in the center of the bed, tousled blond hair flung out around her head and covering the cheetah print pillows. Her weathered hands tightly grasped the black satin sheets that were wrapped loosely around her torso as she moved her head slightly, stirring from her sleep.  
  
Shalimar yawned softly as she stretched out her arms, cracking her scapulae and neck, all the while keeping her eyes closed. She sat up slowly, wiping her eyes lightly and pulling her hair out of her face, then blinking several times as she tried to keep her heavy eyelids open. Still feeling disoriented and tired, she sat there momentarily, her eyes closing as her head lurched forward, her body attempting to sleep again. Bobbing back up, Shalimar shook her head fiercely, waking herself into complete consciousness.  
  
Shalimar turned her head and looked at what was around herself, only able to see the bright flames of the candles through the chiffon curtain.  
  
~* Where the heck am I? *~ Shalimar thought, alarmed slightly. Suddenly, a glass fell over on one of the tables nearby, spilling water onto the floor. Instinctually, Shalimar threw the off the sheets and jumped into a crouching position, flashing her gold feral eyes.  
  
"Good morning, Shalimar. You've been asleep for awhile, baby," a figure said calmly from the shadows, stepping forward ever so slowly. The curtains to the canopy bed flew open, exposing a shocked and upset Shalimar.  
  
"You." Shalimar mouthed, as she glared at the silhouetted person.  
  
"Yeah, baby. Love seeing you when you're angry, especially in what you're wearing." Looking down, Shalimar found herself wearing only a black satin tank top and lacy bikini underwear. Her anger rose as each second lagged on, her face turning bright red with utter embarrassment. Shaking her head slightly, Shalimar pounced at the now visible Gabriel with full force. Before Shalimar was more than a few feet off the bed, Gabriel threw his arm to his side, sending Shalimar flying back to the bed telekinetically.  
  
"Shalimar,. Shalimar, you know that I would never do anything to hurt you," Gabriel sincerely said, as he walked over to Shalimar, who lay sprawled on the bed. Tucking her legs into her chin, a single tear of helplessness quivered at the tip of her eye. Gabriel sat down beside her, wiping the tear away and softly caressing her head.  
  
"No need to worrrryy." he started to say, but was kicked by Shalimar before he could finish.  
  
"Get off of me!" Recovering from the blow after several gasps, Gabriel stood up, back towards Shalimar.  
  
"You were always the hard one to get, weren't you?" he said smirking as he placed his forehands on his hips. At this, Shalimar sat up and wiped a tear away, proud that she had fought back.  
  
"Where's Brennan?!" she demanded. Gabriel turned around to face Shalimar before answering.  
  
"Forget about Brennan! It's just me and you now,. for as long as I like." he said half-angry. Shalimar glared horror-stricken at Ashlocke for several seconds before Gabriel finished his sentence.  
  
"He's alive," Gabriel said shaking his head. "Just busy."  
  
"You bastard! What'd ya do to him?" Shalimar hissed at him as she tried to stand up, finding herself unable to even move more than an inch or two.  
  
"No use in trying. You're not going anywhere," he replied coarsely. Flashing her eyes gold, Shalimar decided to forgo her struggle. Seeing this, Gabriel slowly walked around the canopy bed, as if he were eyeing his prey, all the while Shalimar's eyes following him. Pausing for a moment, Gabriel raised his hand, telekinetically yanking Shalimar across the bed towards him. With her arms wrapped around her knees, Shalimar just sat there calm, yet confused, as Gabriel stared at her.  
  
~* Why don't I want to fight him? I hate him so much, this should be a protective instinct,. not even requiring conscious human thought. What's wrong with me? *~ she thought, as tears of frustration formed in her eyes, her human side surfacing. Trying hard to keep her cool, Shalimar closed her eyes momentarily, concealing her feelings in a tough, callous shield- her feral half.  
  
"Come on Shalimar," Gabriel whispered as he sat down beside her. "Don't fight so much."  
  
Grabbing her shoulders, he started kissing the back of her neck, ever so softly. Letting her feral side take over, Shalimar let her animal instincts and thoughts rule. Her eyes changed into a fluorescent gold and stayed that way.  
  
~* Uncomfortable. being touched by. must fight back. *~  
  
"Stop that now!" Reacting to her thoughts, Shalimar found herself swinging her arm to slap Gabriel's face, but as she did, she had the strangest feeling- a sharp pain at her fingertips. Terrified, Shalimar saw her fingernails sprout into long, clear claws. As her arm reached Gabriel's face, the newly-grown claws tore through his cheek. Blood splattered her hand and his face, as four slash marks appeared quickly.  
  
Staring at the blood on her hand and in her new claws, Shalimar felt very scared. She had no idea what had just happened to her, or even how. As shock took away the control she held over her feral side, her eyes switched back to brown, her human form. Looking at her hands in fear, she started to breath deeply and quickly.  
  
Meanwhile, as Gabriel's face was slashed, he fell to the bed, pain running through his body. Putting his hand to his face, Gabriel wiped the warm blood onto his fingers and licked it. As he stood back up, Gabriel shook his head slightly.  
  
"Why Shalimar?" Shalimar looked up, still breathing deeply, as she watched Gabriel's face completely heal in a matter of seconds. Lurching for Shalimar, Gabriel yanked her by the neck and lifted her several inches off of the floor.  
  
"Please. stop.," Shalimar managed to say as she gasped for air. In his growing rage, Gabriel proceeded to lift her even higher, laughing as she was suffocated by his tightening hand.  
  
"Don't you EVER do that again!" Flashing his feral eyes, Gabriel threw her across the room towards a heavy desk. As the desk splintered, Shalimar screamed once as her right temple smashed into its' sharp corner. Knocked unconscious, she fell forward onto the floor.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
XXXX Sanctuary XXXX  
  
"What the hell happened?" Jesse asked exasperated, as both he and Adam stood in what used to be the doorway to the med lab. Inside, the entire room had been destroyed. All of the graduated cylinders and flasks had been smashed onto the floor, covering the ground with glass everywhere. The work bench that had stored Adam's recent experiments had been overturned and splintered, its' chemical contents spread around the lab, several compounds bubbling and fizzing because they had been mixed together.  
  
The med chairs were smashed up against a wall, destroyed. The laptops and wall monitors lay ruined, the hardware fried, still giving off sparks, and the LCD's were dripping because they had been punctured by glass in multiple places. The shelves and cabinets had been dented and tipped, the books and papers strewn around the lab. The overhanging wires hung dangling down, discharging every few seconds, and most of the lights were smashed on the floor, the few still hanging were crooked and several feet lower than they had been. Large, heavy chunks of plaster from the walls were scattered around on the remaining tables, on the overturned med chairs, with smaller chunks covering the area where the computers used to be.  
  
Taking a few cautious steps forward, Adam was the first to go into the lab, Jesse following several seconds behind. Carefully stepping around the glass, Jesse made his way to where the majority of computers had been, staring at the liquid trickling out of the LCD's with partial annoyance.  
  
"Uumm," Jesse mumbled to himself as he set off to clearing the debris, plaster and glass off of what remained of the computers.  
  
"Do you think that you can get any of them working again?" Adam asked as he stood across the room from Jesse.  
  
"Um, I'll try. maybe in a while," Jesse said, as he tried to sound enthusiastic.  
  
"Good. Maybe one of the security cameras will help explain what happened," Adam replied, as he walked over to where his experiments lay on the floor, staring at the ruin with both anger and shock.  
  
~* Why? These were important for. *~ his thoughts paused momentarily as he saw a broken bottle of concentrated acid burning through a storage box and several old reference books. Finding the plastic container containing sodium bicarbonate nearby, he quickly dumped some to neutralize the spill. While Adam stood crouching there, several worn papers to his right distracted him. Setting down the plastic bottle, he carefully moved aside the glass covering them, and slowly picked them up.  
  
Holding them in his hand, Adam stared at the worn drawings and old photograph with awe for several long seconds.  
  
"What's that?" Jesse asked from behind a computer he was trying to fix. Looking up, Adam paused a moment before answering.  
  
"A. nothing," he said quickly. Not convinced, Jesse glared doubtfully at Adam.  
  
"Really, it's nothing." There was an awkward silence for several seconds before anyone answered.  
  
"Okay," Jesse remarked sarcastically as he went back to working. Waiting until he was sure that Jesse wasn't looking anymore, Adam folded the papers and put them into his pocket.  
  
Standing up, Adam looked over the lab, fully realizing how long clean-up would take when he noticed something strange underneath a particularly large piece of plaster. Walking quickly towards this, he noticed a bloody foot protruding from beneath the heavy plaster block.  
  
"Damn it, Jesse! Get over here quickly!"  
  
-TBC.  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX A/N- So, how'd you like it? Drop me a REVIEW and give me your opinions. Thanks a bunch for your input. J 


	7. Tribulation: Part 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X. But, I sure wish that I did, 'cause then I would change the plots just a little, well, really a lot, but... I'm ranting on now, aren't I? Well, I guess I'll just shut up. On with the story!  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: Emma hangs onto life with a thin thread as the others attempt to rescue her. Aspects of Jesse's past and his relationship with Emma are explored, as well as some of Adam's apparent feelings for his two younger team members. Concludes with the usage of powers no one thought Emma to have.  
  
Oh yeah, just so my readers are aware, this has become an AU. Most of the ideas are NOT analogous with what has been occurring on the show this season and are just in my POV, although many of them are based on facts that I've found at the "faux" sites linked off of the official site, as well as evidence I've seen throughout various episodes which I feel has not been stressed enough. And please, READ AND REVIEW! Thanks ahead of time! :-) And just as a reminder, ~ ~ means someone's thoughts, and ^^^ ^^^ means a flashback.  
  
Revelations  
  
Chapter 6: Tribulation:Part 2  
  
Let me fall. Let me climb. There's a moment when fear And dream must collide. -Quidam  
  
Sanctuary  
  
Looking up from one of the computers, Jesse managed to see a horrified look on Adam's face.  
  
"What's wrong?" Jesse asked, setting down a wire that he was holding. Adam quickly squatted down and started throwing chunks of plaster all over around him in an attempt to uncover a body that he saw there beneath the plaster. Seeing the body laying motionless on the floor, Jesse dropped the two wires that he was holding and raced over to Adam. As Jesse rushed over, his shirt got caught on the edge of the desk, dragging him backwards into a live dangling wire.  
  
"Ow, damn it!" Jesse winced from the shock as he jerked his body away from the wire. Adam paused and looked up momentarily at Jesse just standing there and rubbing his arm where it had gotten zapped. Jesse could see that Adam was obviously impatient already, so he shook his head slightly, determined to ignore the pain right now. Making his way through the lab to Adam, only more cautiously this time, Jesse was standing next to Adam several seconds later. Upon seeing a bloody foot and a bruised leg, Jesse bent down and started helping Adam move the chunks of plaster away to uncover the mangled body. It was obvious that it was a woman's body, but neither of them knew who's it was, nor did they have any recollection as to why this woman had been injured so horribly. A hand was soon uncovered, bruised and bloody, with a silver ring ingrained tightly around the woman's battered finger. Not paying much attention to it, Adam and Jesse kept working quickly. Reaching a huge, heavy chunk that covered the woman's torso, they both paused shocked at what they had uncovered- an unconscious Emma laying on her back.  
  
Emma's pale arms were bruised and cut everywhere. Her fingertips were bluish from the lack of normal circulation. Her brown hair was matted with a mixture of dried blood and plaster dust. This mixture had also stained her face. Blood dripped from her lips, ever so slowly, traveling over a worn path of coagulated, dried blood.  
  
"Oh my god, Emma," Adam whispered quietly. Beside him, Jesse just stood there, speechless, his mouth open in shock.  
  
"Jesse, we gotta move this last chunk!" Adam mumbled to Jesse. Both of them bent down and tried desperately to lift the slab, but it just wouldn't budge.  
  
"Hold on," Jesse said, motioning for Adam to step aside. Placing his hand on the plaster chunk, Jesse paused before phasing through it. Once his hands appeared underneath, Jesse grabbed Emma by the shoulders and pulled her back through the chunk. The plaster chunk fell to the floor with a thud and a cloud of smoke as Jesse un-phased both Emma and himself. Jesse laid Emma down gently, propping her up on the plaster pile. Trying hard to conceal his sensitive emotions, Jesse squeezed his eyes tightly shut to keep his tears from falling, opening them again only to see Emma lying motionless on the pile, her breathing barely visible to the two onlookers. He couldn't stand to see Emma like this. He loved her so much, sometimes more than just a friend or teammate, but he knew that she didn't return these feelings of romantic love almost ever. But they were friends, very good friends. They had started off on the wrong foot when they first met, but as Emma stayed with the team longer, she slowly opened up, especially to Adam and him. Adam had always been there for her when she needed help or was in trouble, and likewise, she had slowly grown into the same role for him through what she had termed "night visits". ~Night visits~ Jesse thought with a little smile as he stood there squatting, recalling to himself what "night visits" had meant to both of them.  
  
^^^Jesse's Flashback^^^ Since he was a teenager, he had found it difficult to sleep almost every night. The sleeping problems had continued even after he had come to be with Adam. He would often find himself wandering around Sanctuary for hours at the dead of night, strolling around in hopes that someone would come and help him or at least talk to him. But no one ever did, that was, not until Emma came. Apparently she couldn't sleep either. Late one night, not that long after Emma had come to be with the team, they were both roaming around Sanctuary when they accidentally ran into each other. Surprised that someone else was actually up, both of them just stood where they were staring at each other for several minutes. Emma was the braver one and spoke up first.  
  
"Would you like to come with me to the water garden?" she asked shyly as she stared at the ground, embarrassed that someone would now know about her night walks. Looking up to see what his answer would be, she looked so innocent to him with her big eyes quivering ever so slightly in fear as if she expected him to hit her or something. That was the moment when he had fallen for her. His love for her only grew more each day from that night on. Smiling slightly, he shook his head yes before reaching out his hand to grab hers. Jumping back quickly, Emma gasped in shock and closed her eyes as if expecting a slap. But the slap didn't come, and Jesse, embarrassed that he had scared her, blushed bright red.  
  
"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," Jesse whispered in a comforting manner. Emma stopped cowering and looked up at him unsurely with naive innocence.  
  
"Hey, getting beat up is the bad guys job," he whispered trying to make her feel more comfortable. Smiling, they both laughed out loud, together.  
  
"Hey there pretty," a male voice echoed through the hallway. Both of them froze and stopped laughing.  
  
"Come here and let super Brennan rescue you." It was just Brennan sleep talking- again. Smirking, Jesse stared at Emma, eyes twinkling with withheld laughter. Emma tried hard not to laugh, covering up her mouth to stifle her giggling. Still smiling, Emma pointed towards the water garden with questioning looks. Nodding his head yes again, Emma ran ahead, quietly, as Jesse slowly walked over. Emma stood there waiting for him, and they both sat down, facing each other, the water bubbling quietly by their side. They talked to each other for hours, explaining to each other why neither of them could sleep, their whispers being mingled with the sound of the water, making their conversation inaudible for everyone else. The two whispered to each other until the sunlight glazed over the water beside them. Emma's eyes had finally grown heavy. She had been a great listener to all of his feelings and problems, and even helped him to feel better. But now as he spoke to her again, she yawned slowly before smiling. He stopped talking, aware that she was exhausted.  
  
"You're tired." he started to say.  
  
"I know," Emma whispered slowly, as she lay down on the floor next to him. In just a few minutes, her breathing had become regular, signaling that she was finally asleep. Jesse smiled before picking Emma up. She stirred slightly and said something incoherent as he quietly carried her back to her room and laid her in her bed, tucking the covers tightly around her. Sneaking out of her room and back to his own before the others would wake up, Jesse was happy knowing that he had made a friend that night, a friend who was willing to stay up with him and listen to his ranting and complaining without getting upset. Finally, he lay down in his own bed and went to sleep, more relaxed now that he had talked to Emma. And from that day on, whenever one of them couldn't sleep, which occurred quite often, the other would get up and they would talk to each other quietly by the water garden, their relationship growing more and more each time. As time went on, they began trusting each other more and they both started to tell each other things that they were too afraid to tell the others. And this was how their relationship had grown through what Emma had code termed to be "night visits". ^^^ End flashback^^^  
  
Coming back to the present, Jesse grabbed Emma's right hand softly, holding it in a comforting manner in his own hands, just like he had done numerous times before during their night visits. He just could not bear the thought of losing his best friend. Within moments, Adam grabbed her other hand. A tear trickled down Adam's face as he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it softly.  
  
"Come on Emma," Adam whispered distraughtly, seeing her chest barely heave upwards. Emma was hanging onto life by a very thin thread. Had the lab not been destroyed, Adam would have rushed her to a med chair and treated her quickly. Treating her would not have been a problem had his lab been fully functioning, but obviously, that was not an option now. Going back to the bare bone basics, Adam knew that he only had two options left to save her.  
  
~ CPR? ~ was Adam's first thought of helping her. But as he placed his hands over her diaphragm and started to push down, blood seeped from a cut near her lower left rib. Stopping immediately, Adam shook his head sadly, bringing his hand up to his face in disappointment.  
  
"Emma!" Jesse gasped at the sight. Running out of hope, Jesse looked around the lab desperately looking for something to help Emma.  
  
"There's only one more thing that we can try, Jesse," Adam told Jesse, acknowledging that Emma's fate may be near. "Oxygen, from one of the tanks that I have. had in here." As he finished speaking, Adam noticed a dinged gas tank far in the corner.  
  
~ Oxygen ~ Adam could barely see on the label.  
  
"Jesse, go grab that tank!" Adam ordered, as he motioned to the corner. Jesse ran over and got it quickly, breaking the broken glass he stepped on into smaller pieces as he smashed it carelessly. His only thought was of saving his friend, even if he got hurt in the process. Setting down the tank and handing the dispersal funnel to Adam, Jesse cranked the supply knob to its highest output level. Adam grabbed the funnel and hastily placed it over Emma's face. Freezing, they both sat there squatting, hoping for a miracle to happen.  
  
Several seconds later, Emma's eyes fluttered open, as she started gasping and coughing up the blood that had been slowly suffocating her. Adam threw off the funnel and placed his hands softly on Emma's dirty and cut shoulders, grateful that Death did not cut her thread and take her from them.  
  
"Thank god, Emma. We thought that we were going to lose you," Adam said gratefully, staring at Emma's dark blue eyes with compassion. Emma closed her eyes momentarily as she wiped the dust and blood off her face unknowingly. Bringing her hands down in front of her, Emma stared at the blood and plaster dust with confusion.  
  
"What happened to me?" Emma gasped in horror, shaking her head in disbelief. Adam and Jesse's relief vanished.  
  
"You don't remember what happened?" Adam questioned, as both he and Jesse's eyes grew wide with shock. No one had any recollection of what had happened or even who had destroyed the med lab. Emma stared at Adam blankly, then turned to look at Jesse's reaction. Behind them, she saw that the med lab was in complete ruin. But, as Emma tried to recall what had just happened to her in the lab, all she found were short flashes of images as her memories. Worse yet, the more she tried to recall what happened, the less she seemed to remember. It was as if she tapped into what little memories of the event she had left, someone was taking those images away from her. Still scouring through her memories, Emma turned her gaze back towards Adam and Jesse squatting next to her.  
  
~* Ow *~ she winced as she turned her neck, pain radiating from her neck then down her back. Within seconds, Emma had the strangest feeling of numbness in her legs, but she had no clue as to why. Looking down, she could see cuts and bruises all over her legs that hurt, but in the strangest way. The gash below her rib hurt greatly, making every breath for her painful. Staring at the gory gash in shock, Emma grew nauseous and dizzy. Emma closed her eyes momentarily, letting her head drop down slowly, as shock set in.  
  
"Emma!" Adam and Jesse gasped simultaneously. Adam reached down and grabbed her head, lifting it back up as Jesse grabbed hold of her hand. Emma knew that her body had gone into shock and that her blood pressure was falling quickly. Swallowing slowly, she made up her mind to use her powers to remove her pain. Closing off parts of her mind, she encapsulated her pain and the emotions involved with them and sent them away, careful as to not hit Jesse or Adam with them.  
  
"I'm fine, guys," she said weakly staring into Adam's dark eyes. He was obviously worried as was Jesse. Emma could not let on to them how much pain she had been in. They would deem her weak, like they always did, and she just hated that.  
  
"Really, I'm fine," Emma stated again, only stronger this time, even though she really didn't feel that way. Adam gave her doubtful glances, his dark eyes still full of worry. Yet, Jesse just stood there torn. Even he could sense that Emma was not okay, but he also knew that she didn't like being likened to a weakling, another topic that they had both discussed during their night visits, which strange enough, they both felt the same way on. Just because they were the youngest and least experienced, everyone on the team always seemed to treat them as being weaker or even worthless. Brennan had been the most outright with them stating this bluntly to both of them, and although they regretted hearing it, it gave them a base to grow from. Both of them decided that they were going to prove Brennan and the others wrong, and show that they were indeed needed by the team and that they were just as strong and useful as the others. So, deciding that he would stick by his friend and protect her in a sense, he spoke up after the short awkward silence.  
  
"Why don't we take her somewhere more comfortable," Jesse suggested, offering out his hand to help Emma up. Agreeing, Adam nodded his head slightly.  
  
"We're going to help you upstairs. Does that sound okay?" Adam asked Emma, sounding as if he were talking to a little girl instead of the grown woman that Emma was. Emma noticed this, and had this been any other time, she would have protested the childish treatment. But right now, she was just too tired to fight, and instead just nodded her head in agreement.  
  
Bending over, the two of them grabbed her arms, helping to pull her to a standing position. But as Emma set her feet on the floor, she felt her legs tingle just slightly before giving out. Falling back to the floor and dragging the others along with her, she watched as her world got turned upside down. It didn't take long for Emma to connect what her legs had felt only minutes earlier to what must have ultimately happened to her.  
  
Emma gasped, shocked at her realization, as Adam and Jesse caught her and pulled her back up to a standing position, both of them glancing at her with perplexed looks.  
  
"I don't think that I can walk by my." Emma answered their questioning stares, worried and scared. Jesse and Adam stared at her in shock, unmoving for several seconds. Realizing the impact of what she had just said, Emma stopped speaking mid-sentence and stared, mortified, at the others. Another awkward silence followed for several seconds.  
  
~* I can't let them know this. *~ Emma panicked, knowing that she had just portrayed her current weakness to the one person who would use that against her as an excuse for her to stay at Sanctuary while the others went out and fought the bad guys. That one person who was always holding her back was Adam. Little did she know that there was a reason that Adam acted in this way, a reason that he had never told anyone else on the team. Emma knew what had to be done to protect herself from Adam's excuses, and quickly decided on a solution.  
  
"Emma, are you sure?" Adam asked her. Emma nodded her head yes, glancing remorsefully at Jesse's blue naive eyes, her conscience already feeling guilty for what she was about to do to her closest friend. She couldn't do it now, at least not yet. Still staring at him, she telepathically asked him for help instead.  
  
"Why don't I carry her up?" Jesse recommended as he smiled innocently at Emma, unaware that she was manipulating him.  
  
"Okay. Let's get out of here," Adam replied slightly annoyed, turning quickly to leave, walking back through his ruined lab in anguish. Jesse bent down and lifted Emma up, holding her close to him, thankful that his best friend was still alive to be with him.  
  
"Thank you, Jess," Emma whispered, resting her head on his chest. Smiling at her, Jesse carried Emma out through the lab, through the hallway, and up the stairs to the mess area, setting her down carefully on a long, black sofa. Jesse helped Emma to straighten her legs out and move them onto the sofa, propping her back up with several pillows so that she could see the others without having to move around much. Turning around, Jesse went to go help Adam, who was already viewing Sanctuary's closed circuit cams, when Jesse walked over.  
  
Emma watched Jesse walk away from her. He stood peering behind Adam's shoulder, soaking in the images as they appeared on the screen, yet his body was blocking them from her view. Creating a telepathic link through Jesse's brain and optic nerve, Emma was able to view everything that Jesse was seeing through his eyes. Emma sat on the sofa as if in a trance, eyes open wide, as she absorbed and analyzed the images.  
  
"Anything yet?" Jesse asked from standing behind Adam, as he glanced towards the playbacks that Adam was watching.  
  
"Strangely, no. This was Sanctuary three hours ago, and everything looks fine. You were still in the med lab recovering, there was no one up here in the mess hall, the hallways were empty, no one was near the water garden, and Emma was in the dojo sleeping."  
  
"Wait a sec. Play that last clip from the dojo again," Jesse interrupted. Playing it back, they watched it again.  
  
"See, did you see that, that aura over Emma!" Taking control of the keyboard, Jesse played it back again, pausing it at the spot where he had seen that halo.  
  
"What the." Adam started to say, before both of them glanced at Emma. Breaking her telepathic link, Emma stared at them quietly for a moment. She had analyzed the images using her retro cognition and had already formulated what had happened. Yet, she was in a predicament as to what to do. Should she tell them and risk Adam's insults of being weak, or bury it, like she had done so with many things in her life, just to protect herself. Shaking her head slightly, she decided on the second choice, determined to complete her earlier solution no matter what.  
  
"Emma," Adam started to say to her. But it was too late for them. Emma would not take the chance of them finding out about her past.  
  
"I'm sorry, guys," Emma whispered, gathering energy and activating a part of her that she rarely used. Around her head, a white nimbus glowed momentarily before the light radiated towards Jesse and Adam, touching every corner of Sanctuary in moments.  
  
Adam and Jesse fell to the floor, grabbing their heads and screaming out in pain. Emma slid her legs slowly off the edge of the sofa and glided over to them. Touching Jesse's face first, she held it between her dirty, bloody hands, a weak light passing from her. Jesse stopped yelling, and stood up calmly, towering over Emma as she crouched, intent on doing the same thing to Adam. Standing back up, Emma's eyes glowed white, as she stared past each of their eyes, telepathically altering their minds and memories. Jesse and Adam both smiled, and turned different ways, heading to where Emma had told them to go.  
  
Gliding over to the computer chair, Emma sat down and placed her hand in front of the screen. The images on the playback flashed by quickly, jumping out of the screen and into Emma's hand. When the images stopped flowing, she brought her hand back, the screen going black as the computer turned off. Gliding back to the sofa, Emma lay down, grabbing the blankets from the nearby table and pulling them up to her chin, her energy worn out. Closing her eyes, she slept peacefully, once more.  
  
TBC.  
  
A/N: I hope you liked it. If you did, please review and give me your comments or suggestions. I promise you that the next chapter will be very interesting and will be updated sooner depending on the number of reviews that I get. Seeing that it was my birthday this last week, reviews would be a great present (hint, hint). ( 


	8. Metamorphosis

Disclaimer: I don't get paid for writing this, so I guess that takes me off the hook for lawsuits and such. I don't own much anyways. ;-) This chapter explains my take on why Double Vision really was possible and why it only happened to Emma. ò;ó Rating: PG  
  
Summary: A flashback reveals a dark reality about Emma's past. Meanwhile, Gabriel still has Shalimar and Brennan, but a member of the Strand emerges as a powerful, yet mysterious, enemy to all.  
  
Revelations Chapter 8: Metamorphosis  
  
Vibrant sunbeams trickled through Sanctuary's skylights, announcing that it was almost mid-morning. Yet, everything was quiet and desolate-not a soul was to be seen moving around. The dojo and hallways lay empty and silent, the light from above was reflecting off of the unsettled dust from the night before, creating an almost eerie haze.  
  
Upstairs in the mess area, Emma lay quietly, resting on the sofa. Her blankets, long been thrown off, lay scattered in a heap on the floor below her, exposing Emma's battered body to the cold. The bra and slip that she had been wearing the night before were obviously not enough to keep her warm. Her skin had a bluish, almost translucent appearance, which could easily be seen through the bruises and crimson dried blood. The lively sunlight danced around her uncomely body, creating the impression of fairy- like spirit watching over her. The light scattered over her dirty eyes several times, pulling Emma from her deep, restful dreams and back to this world of reality.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Emma opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her for several moments, quickly recalling the events of the past night, the guilt soon creeping back. It felt wrong to hurt her teammates, especially her best friend, Jesse, but she had to protect herself at all costs. Emma frowned, already overtaken by the feelings of depression that she often had. Stretching her arms and sitting up, the pain came back to her quickly. Her legs would not budge even the slightest from where they were lying. Emma winced and closed her eyes momentarily, determined to get up and be strong. Her legs must have been broken, but as long as her mind was strong she would be able to overcome the pain and suppress it. Emma turned herself, gliding her legs over to the edge of the sofa. Concentrating for a moment, Emma stood up slowly, balancing her levitation with slight difficulty. It had been years since she had last used levitation for something as threatening to her as this. Gliding towards the stairs, she passed the half broken glass of the med lab's sunlights, stopping momentarily and glancing at herself.  
  
~* Oh my, do I ever look bad. *~ Emma reflected silently, analyzing where all the bruises were and how bloody she was. Turning abruptly, she headed back towards the mess area and opened up a cabinet. Out came a fresh- smelling white towel, unstained and perfectly clean like Adam always wanted everything to be. Grabbing it, Emma floated over to the sink and turned on the water, twisting the knobs until it was lukewarm. Emma soaked the cloth and wrung it out, wiping away the dried blood and plaster dust from half of her face.  
  
Staring at herself through the mirror in front of her, she paused, holding the cloth still near the other side of her face. A tear rolled down her face as she recalled a painful memory, one in which the real her felt wrapped and smothered in the skin of another, trapped in a body and lifestyle that was not quite her own.  
  
^^^ Emma's Flashback ^^^ The pale mid-winter sunlight floated through the small windows and into the desolate office at the courthouse, ever so softly, giving some realism to the grim situation at hand. A secretary sat at the wide, black desk, sorting quickly through papers and documents. A police officer stood behind her, hunching over the woman's shoulders, as both of them hastily scanned over records. On a large, dark sofa behind the two laid a little girl, her dark reddish-black, curly hair a ratted and muddy wet mess. She was sleeping peacefully, pale face still having a bluish tinge to it even though the police officer had covered her with as many blankets as he could find. Beneath the heavy, warm blankets, the girl's frail frozen hand tightly grasped a small, cerulean locket around her neck. Pausing for a moment, the secretary looked up at the girl.  
  
"Are you sure that you found her at Bentley Park and not Central? Those few streets difference would really help to identify her," the secretary asked, beady eyes staring through large glasses at the small figure lying on the sofa. The officer stood up straight and stared at the woman sarcastically before turning around and pacing a few feet away from her.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure of it. I may be new here, but I swear, I found her at the park between 5th and King Street, which by your map is Bentley's," the officer replied facing the woman again, irritated that this secretary kept questioning his memory.  
  
"And that's all she was wearing when you found her on a park bench- only jeans, a long-sleeved black shirt and a frayed tank top?" the woman said shocked, shaking her head in pity for the poor little girl as she picked up another pile of documents. "She's lucky that you found her under all of that snow then; she would've died if not for you." Grabbing his elbows and frowning his brow at the woman's obvious statement, the officer just stood silently, nodding his head in agreement.  
  
Meanwhile, the girl came back to this reality, consciousness unfrozen from the horror of the night before, aware that she had apparently not died, and had instead been saved by some good soul. She laid quietly on the sofa for several minutes, eyes still closed, listening in on the conversation of the two people who were in the room with her. When she was certain that the two weren't looking at her, she opened her eyes slowly, ripping off the remaining ice that had held her lashes closed shut the night before. She closed her eyes quickly after opening them, stunned by the bright fluorescent lights above her. Tears quivered at the tip of her eyes.  
  
~* Why? Why me, my mom, *~ the girl thought incoherently to herself, emotionally breaking while silently letting the tears slide down her cold cheeks. No one was left to care for her or hold her tightly near their chests. The world's ignorance would not heed her loss and subsequent anguish. The pain and memories would be hers, and hers alone. She had lost everything important to her in a brief, horrid second. She hated the world for not caring, for being ignorant and closed-minded. But she couldn't destroy them, not now at least, for one Samaritan had saved her fragile life from ending. They had shown the mercy that life rarely showed. To someone, her simple, unimportant life meant enough for it to be saved. She may have only been nine years old, but the world's misery, despair, and greed were apparent to her through her gifts, both genetic and innate.  
  
But she couldn't stay here in this office. The care that she would get from an adoptive family would never be able to replace the love and care of her mother. She would never be able to open herself up and let her shield down around strangers. They would never understand and accept her for what she was. Her own father had betrayed this sacred familial trust, and invaded her rights to not be tested and treated like a lab rat, at least that's what her mother had told her. But her father was long gone away from her, having disappeared and all but vanished from her life, taken away by the very government that was supposed to protect. Life had given her very few precious gifts, but almost all had been ripped away from her last night, what had been her ninth birthday. Poetically put, she had dreams of doing great things, but these were viciously murdered in a matter of minutes.  
  
Letting go of the pendant she grasped, the girl slowly sat up and quietly took off the covers. Shivering slightly as the cold air of the room hit her still-frozen body, the girl stood up, careful to not draw the two people's attention. Her clothes were still muddy and soaked, the jeans shredded at the knees from the many times that she had tripped and fallen on the ice-covered ground last night.  
  
Glancing over at the two figures, she slowly slithered towards the door out of the room, her back sliding quietly against the dreary white wall. Hastily turning to open the door and leave, the girl accidentally brushed against a stack of magazines lying on a table, knocking the entire pile onto the floor with a crash. The girl gasped as the police officer and the secretary turned around quickly and stared at her.  
  
"Honey, could you please just sit down? We're trying to help you- it's a miracle that you're even alive," the secretary consoled, forcing herself to smile at the little girl. The girl froze, one hand still holding onto the door.  
  
"Please, sweetie, you need help," the police officer pleaded. "Just sit back down."  
  
Stepping backwards slowly, the girl just shook her head no, before quickly turning and running out of the office. The secretary yanked up the phone, and called security while the police officer ran towards the still open door. Standing in the doorway, he turned his head both ways before locating the girl already halfway down the hall and mixed into the bustling crowd of people. As the secretary approached the police officer from behind, the officer motioned for several nearby policemen to help him catch the girl. Setting down their coffee cups and donuts, they nodded their heads 'yes' and split up to cover more area faster.  
  
Meanwhile, the girl had already reached the end of the hallway where it cornered. Pausing momentarily as she decided which way would be better to go, she looked back through the crowd of people to see if anyone was closing in on her. Seeing no one, she turned left and sprinted as fast as she could, pushing and shoving herself through the crowd, as the people she passed glared at her with awed annoyance.  
  
The girl raced through a crammed corridor connecting the police station to the civic center, turning around slightly to check on her pursuers positions. Pain struck the side of her face and torso as she slammed into something and went crashing to the floor. Letting out a moan, the girl shook the pain from the collision out of her head, before placing her hands on the ground to stand back up.  
  
"I apologize for that mishap, ma'am. Are you okay?" a male voice with a slight British accent asked her calmly as he crouched down and held out his hand to help her up.  
  
~* I recognize that voice, somehow *~ the girl thought to herself, unable to recall from where she recognized it.  
  
Looking up, the girl stared right into the man's gentle, sapphire blue eyes, a questioning glance on her face. The man's black suit had been ruffled from the collision and his dark blue tie hung awkwardly out of place.  
  
~* Poor kid. Oddly enough, she looks similar to Adam's. *~ The man thought, perplexed at the resemblance. ~* But, it just couldn't be. Adam's daughter is, is dead. *~  
  
Cautiously, the girl grabbed the man's firm hand and he helped her up. She smiled slightly, very faint happiness being portrayed on her face. Yet, the man felt as if she had just told him thank you, without even moving her lips. Blinking his eyes in shock, the man and the girl just stared at each other for several seconds.  
  
"Hey! Hey, you over there!" a voice yelled from behind them, breaking their momentary silence. Startled, the girl came back to reality again and gasped in fear, while the man looked up to see who was yelling.  
  
~* Please help me. *~ The girl pleaded telepathically, pain and desperation in her eyes. The sound of heavy footsteps behind her announced that the police officers were closing in on her. ~* Please, *~ she begged. Taken aback, the man just stood there staring at the girl in amazement.  
  
Cold hands grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and dragged her back, away from the man.  
  
"Let go of me," the girl screamed, kicking and swinging her arms to get away. A group of several officers surrounded her in a matter of moments, two police men restraining her forcibly and gagging her screams and cries for help. A small crowd of onlookers gathered quickly to stare, shocked at the violent scene that they were viewing. The man still stood across from her, silently staring.  
  
"There's nothing to see people. Get a move on it. It's only a slight mishap here. Keep going with your business," a male voice yelled at the crowd. As the crowd of people dispersed, a police officer sauntered past the struggling girl. Giving up hope, the girl stopped struggling and just stood calmly.  
  
"Sir, I wasn't expecting you to come by today," the officer inquired, holding out his gloved hand to shake and greet the other man.  
  
"I am well aware of that, Howard. I am only here on "special" business today," the man replied, brushing aside the police officer's handshake gesture. "My partner is in need of information on one of our placements." The police officer smiled slyly, nodding his head slowly in understanding.  
  
" Well, then go right ahead, Mason. We won't keep you waiting, doctor." Smiling briefly, Mason tidied up his jacket and tie and turned to go on his way. Passing the girl, he glanced at her quickly, before continuing on his way.  
  
~* Sorry. Perhaps another day, *~ the man told her psionically. Staring at the man called Mason with large, confused eyes, her mouth agape not at what he had told her, but how. Maybe she wouldn't be completely alone in this world after all. Yet, no matter how hard she had tried to search her memories for that man, she could find nothing more than chaotic bits and pieces, but no certain identification.  
  
Meanwhile, the police officer stood there calmly, smiling slightly as he watched Mason proceed down the long corridor. As the doctor rounded the corner and left his view, the officer paced slowly, while shaking his head slightly.  
  
"And you, honey," growled Howard as he walked and roughly grabbed the girl by the chin, ripping her from her thoughts about the man quickly. "You should have just done what Will and Ms. Fernadette told you to. But now," he said pulling out hand cuffs and placing them on her small, frail wrists, "now, it's goin' be much harder for you." Locking the cuffs to a chain on his belt, Howard motioned for the two officers to back off. "I'll take of this from here."  
  
The crowd of officers that had surrounded her quietly left, some in groups, some alone, and went back to what they were doing before, leaving only Howard and the girl.  
  
"Walk. Now." Howard demanded, yanking her forwards. They quietly walked through the busy corridors, people staring at the girl with disgust and antipathy. Dragging her along, the girl drooped her head and stared at the ground ashamed, feeling dozens of eyes rip her feelings apart as if she had none at all. Howard soon stopped in front of a bleak government office. The girl looked up quietly to see where she had been taken.  
  
~* "Juvenile Adoption and Social Services" *~ the girl read. She had a bad feeling of what was about to happen, but that didn't matter anymore. She was at the government's charity, their mercy, and she didn't like that. But for now, this is all she had. Her plan to escape and runaway from her sorrows had been blocked. She still couldn't stand the thought of being raised by someone other than her own mother; she paused solemnly.  
  
~* Her mother, *~ the thought made her eyes twinkle with hidden tears, but she refused to cry, at least not in front of anyone. Calmly, she walked in to the office as Howard yanked her along and was sat her down on a large blue sofa, not to far from another girl. Howard hastily un- cuffed the girl before shuffling towards the main desk to inform the secretary of the situation. Turning to leave, Howard glared at the girl for several seconds, before shaking his head at her in disrespect. As Howard left the office, the secretary stood up, grabbing several file folders from off her desk, before walking over to the two girls.  
  
"Stay here," the secretary sternly said, pouting a wrinkled, old woman frown. "And don't you even think of leaving, or else you'll surely get it bad this time. That goes for the both of ya, especially you Emma," the woman hissed at the two girls, while haughtily pointing a wrinkled finger at the older, brown-haired girl sitting at the far end of the sofa with a backpack beside her. The shrieked words tore into the younger girl's ear, frightening her some, while the other girl simply shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Whatever," Emma retorted, chewing her gum in the most annoying way possibly simply to offend the old secretary all that she could. The secretary snorted, and waddled her way out of the office. "Hag," Emma whispered slyly, as the office door closed and the secretary left. Laughing, Emma reached into her black pants pocket and took out a piece of paper, tearing it quickly into small pieces.  
  
"What are you doing?" the younger girl asked, staring at the other girl in amazement as she spit out her gum and stuck it beneath the sofa cushion.  
  
"None of your damn, freakin' business," Emma paused, "Unless, of course, you'd like to help me?" she finished, standing up and sticking several of the pieces of paper in her mouth to chew. Emma stood waiting patiently for the other girl to answer, her hands resting on her hips as she viciously chewed on the paper pieces. The other girl sat and stared at Emma with wide, frightened eyes, scanning her gothic appearance and then mind for something that she couldn't quite grasp, but knew it was there.  
  
"Hey, get the hell outta my mind. No one gave you the right to be there, you, you freak!" Emma yelled at the other girl, before frowning after she realized what she had said. Stunned, she stopped chewing the spitball in her mouth and walked over and sat down next to the other girl.  
  
"You can do that, too; go into other people's minds?" Emma asked calmly, her already pale face almost turned white with fear, as she suddenly realized after all her years, that she was not the only screwed up freak of nature. The other girl nodded her head slightly in reply. A flood of questions that she wanted to ask rushed through Emma's mind.  
  
"What, I don't," Emma stuttered, shaking her head in disbelief as she stood back up, distressed. "What is even your name?" she incoherently blurted out, throwing her hands up in annoyance. The other girl stayed quiet, swallowing slowly before opening her mouth to answer.  
  
"Emmalee," she whispered.  
  
"What?!" Emma gasped, having not completely heard what was said.  
  
"Emmalee," the girl said calmly. "Emmalee Gereshkov, if you really have to know!" she blurted out even louder.  
  
"Okay, okay, I heard you. But why the hell are you HERE!?" Emmalee sat quietly for several seconds, holding tightly onto the pain she felt. The look on Emma's face suddenly contorted into a sorrowful glance, as she easily picked up what had happened.  
  
"Your mom died last night- like that?" Emma shuddered at the other girl's memories. A small tear trickled down Emmalee's cheek, as she looked up at Emma with bulgy, watery eyes. Sitting down, Emma put a comforting arm around Emmalee's shoulders, trying her best to comfort to comfort the younger girl.  
  
"Hey, don't feel bad. I've lived in orphanages and foster homes as far as I can remember. I don't even know what my real parents look like, or even who they are. Although, one of my first foster parents said something about them being two hippie college students," Emma murmured, her voice winding down to almost a whisper as she talked on. "But that doesn't matter, does it? Whatever, you're too little to understand anyways," Emma came back stronger, standing up and walking back over to her backpack lying on the floor.  
  
"I am not little or inexperienced! I may only be 9, but do not underestimate me. It will prove to be your fatal error," Emmalee yelled, angered at the other girl's rude and unnecessary comment. Emma smirked and let out a wicked laugh.  
  
"Whatever, honey. I'm 11- that's a whole 2 years older than you. Two years more of experience with life, and a hell of a lot more on dealing with orphanages and foster homes and reality in general, and let me tell you, if you ever get the chance to get outta the whole system, take it! As for me, my chance to leave all of the abusive and violent nightmares behind me is now, and I'm taking it, whether you care or not!" Emma hissed turning around to face the wall, while ripping off her preppy pink shirt and black pants, and putting on some black baggy jeans, black army boots, a black t- shirt, a hex necklace, and some bracelets. Emmalee stared at the older girl in shock, unsure of what to do.  
  
"Don't you even look at me, ya little pervert!" Emma complained, while roughing up her stringy, brown hair. "I'm outta her. Gotta make it on my own someday, somehow, and now seems just a good a time as any other, so hellions be, I'm leaving!" Throwing her old clothes into her backpack and zipping it, Emma grabbed it and threw it over her shoulder, pausing for a moment in front of Emmalee.  
  
"Do you want to come with me, or not? I don't care either way, just you seem like such a nice girl to have to go through what I have. So, you in?" Emma questioned, Emmalee still sitting quietly and staring. She didn't want to be in an orphanage or foster home, but nor did she want to be on the street again, like she had been last night. And how much trouble would she be in if she got caught by the police again. That secretary seemed serious about the severe punishment that she talked of. Dilemma set in.  
  
"Whatever, I can't wait for you to decide whether Rome should fall or not. I'm Audi," Emma replied, walking towards the door and waving bye jauntily.  
  
"No, you can't leave!" Emmalee yelled, jumping out of her chair and grabbing Emma's arm, trying desperately to pull her back.  
  
"Get off of me, fagot!" Emma hissed, slapping Emmalee across the face with her other arm.  
  
"Oww!" Emmalee cried as blood began dripping from her nose. More determined, Emmalee grabbed again even harder, psionically telling Emma to stop all movement. Emma freezes and stiffens up, a look of pain on her face, before she falls to the floor with a thump. In shock, Emmalee covers her mouth and gasps, terrified at what she sees.  
  
Bending over, Emmalee stares at the other girl, realizing that she is not breathing. Desperately, she checks for a pulse; there is none.  
  
~*Oh my goddess, I, I've k, killed her?! *~ Squatting beside the dead girl, Emmalee looked around the room for several seconds, petrified as to how she was going to get herself out of this mess. And then, a thought hit her.  
  
Emmalee knew that she could touch someone and take their thoughts, and sometimes, if she tried hard enough, their memories as well. She also knew how to alter her form, one of the Wiccan skills that her loving mother had taught her not so long ago. She didn't have much time now to think of anything else, or she would run the risk of being caught.  
  
Touching the dead girl's cheek, Emmalee closed her eyes, soaking up Emma's thoughts and memories, letting them find a place within hers. Having organized the received memories, she stood up, raising her hands to slightly below her shoulders, parallel to the deceased girl's body on the floor. Casting the well-memorized spell, a light wind encircled the two girls, blowing several papers onto the floor. Closing her eyes, a blinding light illuminated the room, completing the transformation. Emmalee fell to the floor beside the deceased girl, breathing irregularly and coughing as she grasped the feeling of her new body.  
  
Emmalee sat up slowly, staring at her new hands, arms, and legs with awe.  
  
~* This is very cool, *~ she thought happily, standing up, and take a few clumsy steps as she adjusted to her longer legs, stopping and crouching down in front of the dead Emma. Emmalee slowly pulled off the other girl's backpack and set it on the ground beside her.  
  
"Sorry Emma, but, I had to," Emmalee whispered, staring into oblivion as she twisted the other girl's stringy hair in her fingers before standing up again.  
  
"Don't you see, you'll be happier with things this way? As for me, my destiny is still to be decided. The prophecy must be fulfilled as stated," she bluntly stated, her eyes glowing white before being overtaken by darkness.  
  
~* Footsteps, two people, coming quickly, *~ she sensed, tilting her head slightly. ~* The cemetery will do.*~ Bending down again, her eyes still black, Emmalee placed her hand over the girl's chest, teleporting her body away from there within seconds. Grabbing the backpack, she ported over to the chair where Emma had been sitting, her eyes changing to her new normal state- deep blue. Emmalee sat the bag down beside her, before kicking her long legs out and slouching down on the soft, warm couch, waiting for destiny to bring her newest fate. The office door near her opened slowly.  
  
"She's right in here. You must make sure to watch her more carefully next time, or else the courts will most definitely get in," the secretary's voice trailed off as she held open the door for the other person, noticing that one of the girl's was gone.  
  
"Where is she!? Emma, where's the other girl?" the secretary demanded, pounding over to intimidate Emmalee.  
  
"How should I know? She could be anywheres by now," Emmalee answered, smirking slightly. The secretary scrunched up her face in anger before waddling back to her desk and picking up her phone to call security. Giggling quietly, Emmalee finally took notice of the man standing quietly in the doorway watching the scene unfold inside the office.  
  
"Emma, we've been looking all over for you!" the man hastily said, rushing over to hug the girl sitting on the sofa. "Thank goodness the security guards saw you at the mall," he finished, hidden sarcasm in his voice, as he grabbed Emmalee and lifted her up and spun her around in a circle. Emmalee stared at the tall, brawny, dark-haired man with a look of embarrassment as he sat her back down.  
  
"Thanks, I guess," Emmalee managed to say quietly, rolling her eyes without much certainty of the situation that she'd gotten herself into. Grabbing the book bag sitting beside Emmalee, the man walked up to the secretary, who was already busy working at her desk again.  
  
"Thank you so much. I really appreciate your hard work in helping find my foster daughter."  
  
"Oh, Mr. DeLauro, you needn't flatter me. I'm just a secretary here. Just watch her more carefully next time. I'd hate to see her be put into an institution," the secretary replied, chuckling to herself.  
  
"No, no, really, thank you Lara," he replied patting her lightly on the back. "And what do you have to say for yourself, Emma?" the man asked, turning towards the quiet girl on the sofa. Startled, Emmalee stood up and walked over submissively.  
  
"I'm sorry," Emmalee said, staring at the floor as she pretended to be ashamed.  
  
"Good job, Emma," Mr. DeLauro replied, pinching Emmalee's butt, before walking towards the door out. Emmalee's eyes shot wide as she immediately felt uncomfortable. Standing there momentarily, Emmalee thought over her situation.  
  
She was glad to have somewhere to go home to tonight, but she had taken Emma's life, literally, to get it. No one seemed to notice that she was not the real Emma. And although she now knew all about Emma's past, she did not agree with everything that Emma had done, nor did she want to take responsibility for what the other girl had done.  
  
"Lara, I'm tired of running," Emmalee whispered, staring straight into the secretary's eyes. Lara just laughed.  
  
"Why don't you hurry up and catch up with your father in the hallway, Emma. He's probably impatient to finally get you home safely, again." Lara laughed again, as Emmalee's anger grew. Outraged, Emmalee grabbed Lara by the shoulder, her eyes turning a mix of light and dark as internal forces battled for control over her soul.  
  
"I HAVE changed. You will never see me in here again," Emma grunted out angrily, throwing Lara back into her chair. The old secretary gasped for breath and looked around the room shocked, as Emmalee hurried out of the room, smirking. ^^^ End Emma's Flashback ^^^  
  
As the tear reached her chin, Emma blinked her eyes and shook her head slightly, changing her train of thoughts back to the present situation. Quickly, she cleaned off the other half of her face, rinsing the cloth, and then finished cleaning off her hair, arms and legs, sending the blood and plaster dust along with the painful memory down the sink, hiding the pain deep within her mind. Wringing out the towel, now stained and dirty, she threw it into the hamper. Heading back over to the cabinet, she got another towel out and quickly dried herself off. Once finished, Emma held the towel and concentrated, telekinetically tossing the dirty and wet towel into the hamper. Smiling when the towel made it into the hamper without much effort, Emma turned back towards the stairs, this time passing by the mirror-like glass and heading down the stairs to get changed into more appropriate clothes.  
  
_______________________________________________  
  
I'm all mixed up, feeling so rushed. They say it's my fault, but I want her so much. Covers on my face, will she feel the shame? But she's feeling for me, what I'm feeling for her. Yeah, I can try to pretend, I can try to forget. But it's driving me mad, going out of my head. -t.A.T.u.  
  
The tingling smell of fire twisted through the room, waking Shalimar from her unconscious slumber. Opening her eyes and lifting her head from her chest, she looked around the dark and eerie room where she was being held captive. In front of her was a square oak table, covered with various plates of steaming food. The centerpiece was a tall, gold candle, the pungent smoke from its' small flame curling through the air.  
  
Intently, Shalimar stared at the quivering yellow-orange flame for several minutes, captivated by the fire's unpredictability. Turning her attention to all of the food that had been placed before her- barbecued chicken and luscious ribs, medium rare grilled T-bone steaks and marinated shrimps- she licked her lips slowly, savoring the smells.  
  
~* Meeeaatt *~ she relished the thought, plotting on what to eat first. Shalimar was starving; she hadn't eaten anything since she and Brennan had left Sanctuary the afternoon before. Deciding on the T-bone steaks, Shalimar leaned forward and shot out her hand to grab the nearest steak. But right as she was about to yank up and devour the steak, her hand froze. Yanking and twisting, Shalimar tried to move her arm towards the food, but every time it was stopped. Pain radiated through her wrist, causing her to look down and realize that several cords bonded her wrists and ankles to the chair that she was sitting in.  
  
Shalimar struggled to loosen the chains and frayed metal cable from her wrists and ankles. The cable easily sliced through her skin, dark red, almost black blood seeping from the incisions. She twisted her shoulders and shook the chair desperately, giving up with a scream and cringing in pain. Her head had started hurting violently, the pain throbbing against her skull. Closing her eyes, Shalimar stopped moving and just laid her head on the edge of the table.  
  
~* Something is wrong with me- very wrong. My feral side should have kicked in by now and gotten me out of this, this trap. *~ Shalimar thought to herself, grimacing every time the pain emanated from her head. Hearing a creak, Shalimar looked up, trying to focus on who came into the room. Struggling, she managed to flash her eyes orange, her feral side finally activating. Tilting her head slightly sideways and listening very carefully, she took several shallow breaths, analyzing the smells and infrared image she saw.  
  
"Gabriel," she whispered under her breath.  
  
"Yes Shalimar, it's me," Gabriel answered, walking slowly into the candlelight. He paused and stared at Shalimar for several seconds, hands resting on the chair that was placed directly across from Shalimar. Frowning, Shalimar glared at him, wincing as her head started to hurt again.  
  
"Is your head okay?" Gabriel asked, trying very hard to sound sympathetic.  
  
"What do you think?" Shalimar hissed back at him, unwilling to let Gabe show her any kindness.  
  
"I'm really sorry about what I did to you, but you understand the rage that ferals can feel."  
  
"You're not a feral, you're a,.. a monster!" Shalimar interrupted, her own rage growing. Flashing his eyes bright orange, Gabriel was outraged at the comment and was ready to use the energy blast bouncing at his fingertips. But staring at those fiery orange eyes that were glaring at him with fear, he could not hurt, again, the one he loved so much. Closing his hand into a fist and dissipating the energy, Gabriel instead pulled out the chair and sat down.  
  
"It's not good to eat on an angry stomach," he replied to her. Shalimar stopped flashing her eyes and stared at him confused, her brown eyes twinkling in the dim candlelight. "What would you like to eat?" he asked, smiling kindly at her. Shalimar sat silently, stunned at Gabriel's change in character. Opening her mouth to reply, a T-bone steak floated over to the plate in front of her. The knife and fork on the napkin beside her rose up, cutting the steak for her, as Gabriel sat across from her, cutting himself a piece of steak with his own hands and eating it. As the knife and fork lay back down in their previous places, Shalimar still sat stunned and confused. Picking up one piece of meat cautiously, she sniffed it.  
  
"It's okay. I had this whole table prepared especially for us," Gabriel told her, hesitating when he noticed that Shalimar had already devoured half of the steak, having barely chewed at all. For several seconds Gabriel sat staring at her, holding his fork by his mouth in astonishment. Pausing, Shalimar looked up, deep brown eyes quivering with slight embarrassment. She slowly swallowed the piece that she had just shoved into her mouth.  
  
"There's some more if," Gabriel started to say, laughing slightly as Shalimar quickly licked her lips clean. Biting the meat that was still on his fork, Gabriel smiled contently.  
  
~* If she would only know how much I really love her, *~ Gabe thought quietly to himself, staring at Shalimar as she blushed, hiding her eyes from him.  
  
"Shalimar, baby, do you like the décor?" Gabe asked her, motioning to cheetah and leopard prints that were scattered throughout the room. Shalimar looked up sheepishly, staring off into the darkness at the varied decorations. Having drawn her attention, Gabriel continued without giving her much of a chance to reply.  
  
"I had it arranged with just you in mind." Shalimar glanced at him, smirking with surprise, while Gabe quickly scanned her reaction.  
  
"I knew that you would love it just as much as you love me," Gabe finished, grinning at his success. Shalimar's head jumped up at the remark, her eyes wide, first with shock, then anger.  
  
"I don't like you!" she practically yelled.  
  
"Shalimar, you know that you can't fight it anymore. You can't hide your feelings from me- I read you like a book. I can feel the attraction between the two of us." Gabe paused speaking for a moment, glimpsing at Shalimar as she bent forward on the table grasping her head and shaking it violently.  
  
~* No, no, no, NO! *~ Shalimar screamed in her head, trying to control the emotional and hormonal struggle taking place in her mind. The two parts of her were in evolutionary flux. She felt part of her human side slipping away into obscurity, lost to the depths of her ever-changing spliced structure. Gabe walked over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I know you feel the same way," he bent over and whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek softly.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Shalimar exploded, breaking her psychosomatic and chaotic silence. Gabe walked slowly to the other side of the table, shaking his head in dismay.  
  
"I understand," he whispered sullenly. "But you do know that we are all fated the same, us mutants." Shalimar froze in the midst of her anger, uncertain of what Gabe was talking about.  
  
"Adam, hasn't told you anything, has he? That son of a.. All of us, feral, molecular, psionic, we're all destined the same short, miserable lives. He's mentioned nothing of this to you?" Gabe was growing both angry and astounded at the lies that his love was being told.  
  
"But Adam would have told us before if it were something this important," Shalimar retorted, angered that Gabe would question one of the few people Shalimar had trusted over the years.  
  
"There's a lot about Adam and his past that you don't know, and I'm certain that he hasn't told you. There more to him than meets the eye, and extrasensory vision either."  
  
"You're lying. Adam would never keep secrets from us. He wants to help us mutants." Gabe burst out laughing at the last comment.  
  
"Help! Help! How do you call podding me help! How do you call the invention of sub dermal governors help?! Don't you ever wonder why you never hear again from those mutants that you put into the Underground? Didn't you find it odd that your team all mutated right around the same time? Haven't you ever questioned why Adam almost never comes out to help fight his own battles? Don't you see that all Adam has told you are a bunch of well-constructed lies, everything but the real truth?" Gabe's face had turned violently red throughout his little speech, as he finally realized how ignorant and trusting of fake lies the one he loved really was.  
  
~* Oh my gosh, he's, he's right. All of this time, I've fallen for one big lie after another. *~ Shalimar trembled at the thought, shaking her head in defiance of the truth. Her emotions raged uncontrollably, the two parts of her profusely battling to keep control over her conscious state.  
  
"Shalimar!" Gabe yelled, as tears randomly trickled down Shalimar's cheeks. "Don't you ever think about the inconsistencies between what Adam has told you and reality? He's betrayed so many people during his lifetime with his deceit and hidden agendas, even his own family at one time. But god, do I ever believe that he has betrayed you and your teammates the worst." Gabe stopped speaking as Shalimar burst out crying, throwing her head and fists against the table in an outright rage as it became apparent to her that the paradigm she had constructed in her head had been shifted, the truth awakening her from her surreal reality. Gabe stood there and calmly watched as Shalimar threw a wild tantrum, her wrists and ankles being cut over and over again by the chains that held her in his presence. Bruises soon appeared on her face and arms from the constant pounding on the table, a piece of shattered glass slashing her forehead as her outburst raged on. But still Gabe stood calmly watching as Shalimar fought herself.  
  
"Gabe," a familiar voice whispered from the darkness behind him. He felt a slight gust as a presence arrive next to him.  
  
"Gabe, what have you done here?" the woman questioned faintly.  
  
"Veritas. It must be known."  
  
"But not quite yet. The prophecy must be carried out as stated." And at that, the woman apparently glided forward into the light, casting out her hands and silently whispering several incoherent words. Shalimar froze and slumped forward, her eyes glazed open, as the room became quiet. The darkly dressed woman walked over to where Shalimar was laying.  
  
"Patience is by far the most noteworthy virtue, my dear friend. Truth takes time," the woman bluntly stated, her dark red curls slipping over her face as she bent forward to take Shalimar out of the chains.  
  
"What are you suggesting?" Gabe finally spoke up.  
  
"Wait and see. But for now, assistance in moving your love back to her cell would be gratefully appreciated." Grudgingly, Gabe stepped forward, floating the unconscious Shalimar over to his arms. Staring down at his love, Gabe softly kissed her cheek, bloody from self-inflicted wounds. His love for Shalimar could not be hidden. "A good spirit can do many things, and faith alone is strong enough to make wishes come true," the woman psionically told him. Gabe smiled slightly as he walked through the darkness and to the doorway.  
  
"Thank you, Eva."  
  
A/N: That's it for now. I hope you liked it. Reviews are welcome at your own free will.  
  
* Veritas means "truth". 


End file.
